The Ghost with the Bloody Hands
by JenosIdanianHorn
Summary: Shinji and Asuka, alive after the devestation of Third Impact. They stick together, trying to find a new home. Along the way, hidden feelings arise between the two, and a lonely man is discovered a man who holds a past that reeks of death.
1. Two Friends

Disclaimer: I'm not gonna pretend this is my idea. It's too good. Gainax and affiliated groups retain all rights to the characters & copyrights & etc. The Ghost is the only original character. (Too bad he's not in this chapter)

Asuka slept soundly under the improvised shelter. Covered with a tattered cloth that Shinji had come across, rest was a release. Her bandaged arm and head were signs of the injuries she had sustained, but without proper knowledge, Shinji could not run the risk of moving her around too much, or trying to treat her wounds, for fear of worsening the situation. He sat beside her, masking her from the winds that blew past their cover. It was just a pile of rubble, as every building in sight had become. But it had created a little cave, no more that three walls of steel and stone, that served to protect them from the harsh gusts that flew across the desolate land.

Shinji looked back to the young woman lying next to him. Her hair, the fiery red that reflected her personality, was whipped around by the wind. It blew into his face, and tickled his nose. It was comforting, though, to be caressed by the crimson threads. Shinji knew it was only a matter of time before she awoke. Then, they would have to decide what to do.

He sighed. What was there to do? He had absolutely no idea. Third Impact had taken place, and for all that he could tell, everything had been demolished. From his vantage point, all that could be seen was the destruction. And it was disheartening to no end. A sea of orange goo, the LCL, the substance that held all human souls, stretched for an eternity. Mount Fuji rose menacingly from the horizon, and the land, schorched from the explosion, bore a spooky resemblance toa graveyard.

But there was a small hope. Asuka had survived. He himself, Shinji Ikari, had lived. That was because of the choice. In his dreamlike state preceding Third Impact, he was given a choice. To allow everybody to live, or to initiate complete destruction of the world; that power was under his control. And his choice was to give eveybody a chance. If the desire existed, if the soul wished to live, then their body would emerge from the LCL. And he and Asuka had emerged, scathed but alive. In a terrifying fit of emotional breakdown, Shinji proceded to strangle Asuka's lifeless boddey, until she awoke, and with a brush of her hand, she calmed his nerves and relaxed him. Shinji had then moved them both to the nearby rubble, and now, here they were, Asuka asleep, and Shinji mulling over the possibilities.

For all he knew, the rest of the world had suffered the same fate. But there was also a chance that the carnage that was Third Impact had only affected a certain area. This thought was reinforced by the fact that Fuji still stood in the distance. And somewhere, deep in his heart, Shinji knew that others had lived. It was all that drove him, that gave him a will to live,a hope. That hope alone, and the person beside him, kept him sane.

Shinji glanced down at his companion, still in her plug suit, the bandages matted with blood. Until now, Shinji had thought that Asuka was an arrogant, selfish brat. He felt this so strongly, that he had begun to loathe her. But recent events, namely Third Impact, had changed that. He had saved her countless times. He was devastated when she suffered mental breakdown at the hands of the 15th Angel. He flew into a rage after her final fight with the EVA series. Something compelled him to help her. She was his friend, fellow pilot, and roommate. But..... There was something else. Something tickled whenever he looked at her. It was an elusive feeling. Almost like a fairy that evaded the stare of a human. But it was clearly there, this feeling.

Shinji felt a stirring beside him. He saw, from the corner of his eye, that Asuka had opened her eyes. She did not move, but only stared off into a world of her own. Shinji gave her a little shake. "Hey, Asuka." She came out of her daze, and looked up to Shinji. After a pause, she shifted her weight, looked out to the wasteland of Japan, and said, "The next time you decide to choke me, I will break off every last digit you have and feed them to the ocean."

Shinji simply stared off into a red sky, smiled,and said, "Welcome back, Asuka."

-----------

It had been a few hours since their birth from the sea when Asuka awoke. She checked on her bandages first, making sure that none had fallen off or come loose during her slumber. After her inspection, she asked, "So, how's it like out there, Shinji?" He did not answer, but placed his arm under her good arm, and lifted her up slowly. They only had to walk a few meters, until a good look at the landscape was possible.

"My God...." So this is what had become of Shinji's homeland, she thought. This is all that's left of the world. How sad. A needle-like feeling consumed her as she thought of all the people once here, now gone. All of the girls at school, Kensuke and Touji, Shinji's two friends, Misato, Kaji, Dr. Akagi, and even Ayanami. They were all gone. Sad indeed. Just then, another burst of wind nearly toppled the pair. Shinji asked, "Have you seen enough?" She only nodded. "Well, let's get back to the shelter, then. We need to decide what to do from there." She nodded again, and they marched solemnly back to their little hut.

"So what did you have in mind?" Shinji, looked up confused. "Huh?"

"Look, idiot, it was YOU that decided to stay in this dingy little excuse for a shelter. You wanted to take some time to decide on what to do. Now you just want to sit here and do nothing!?"

Shinji was taken aback. Hands in a defensive posture, he tried to respone. "No, I was just wondering..."

"Wondering about what? About your stomach? Are you hungry? Were you pouting? What is it, you whiny little kid?"

"It was nothing. I was just remembering. Sorry."

Asuka grew even more annoyed. "Apologizing again? God, why can't you just speak your mind!" She slammed down her fists in frustration. The pain in her right arm flared up again, tenfold from what it had been. She fell to her knees, and instinctivly clutched her own arm, causing even more injury to herself. "Arrggghhh!!!"

"Asuka! Are you okay!?" Shinji knelt down next to her. He griped her good fist, tightly clenched around her injured one. "Asuka, relax! You're just gonna hurt yourself more!" Eventually, after some effort, Asuka's fingers gave way, and she slumped down against the wall, panting. Between breaths, Asuka managed to speak. "Don't... make me... angry... again... you... little... worm..." Shinji smiled at this, and settled down next to Asuka, shielding her from the torrent around them, and keeping her arm warm. "Don't worry, Asuka. I'll think of something."

-----------------

"We're gonna need food."

"Huh?" Asuka had dozed off on Shinji's shoulder while going over possibilities and scenarios, when Shiji had spoken up, snapping her out of her nap.

"We're gonna need food. And water, and first aid supplies, and clothing, and better shelter, and fire. We can't go on without those essentials."

Asuka pondered over this for a bit. He was right, although she wouldn't admit it. The conditions they were in now were harsh, and unless they found a way to maintain nutrition and shelter and health, their new life would be wasted. "Well then, that would mean you don't want to snuggle any more, huh?" Asuka was referring to the position they were sitting in. Asuka had shifted to where her back was in the corner. Shinji had his back to the wall as well, and he had covered her injured arm with his body. The large cloak covered them both, and Asuka had fallen asleep like this.

"What!? No, that's not what I meant!"

"Ah, so you DO want to cuddle? Ha, you're so sneaky, you devil, you."

"Well...It...It's comfortable like this. Oh, I just meant that we can't stay forever. There's no hope if we do. I think we should find a break in the weather and head out."

"And in the meantime...?" Asuka's voice held sly tones.

"We can... We'll just wait. I'm okay with that." Shinji's poor verbal defense fell away, and we sighed with defeat.

"Oh, you're so lost Shinji. Get it together!"

"I... I just meant that..."

"I know, you're sorry, I know. Geez, why don't you just say what you feel?"

Shinji thought for a moment. How did he feel, at this moment? Warm. Comfortable. There was just so much that had happened, and he needed time to sort it all out. So he said, "With what's happened, I can't think straight. It's not that I don't like this, being here with you, but it's important that we move soon to stay alive. I do want to sit here with you Asuka, but..."

"That was good Shinji, that was good. But the next time you feel the need to confuse yourself, KEEP it to yourself. Now shut up, and take a break."

"Sure Asuka, sure." Shinji nestled back, and looked at the shards of his world, standing there, marking the burial place of an old Earth. Now, he thought, there will be a new one. And Man will just have to find a way to survive it. If there is any Man left on this ball of dust. Shinji left his thoughts at that, and rested beside his sleeping friend.


	2. The Man with the Big Box

Disclaimer: I'm not gonna pretend this is my idea. It's too good. Gainax and affiliated groups retain all rights to the characters & copyrights & etc. The Ghost is the only original character.

Shinji was glad that not all had been destroyed. The little shack was not much, but considering the present situation, not much more could be hoped for.

When Shinji had noticed that the swirling winds had lessend somewhat, he gently shook Asuka back to awareness. She complained a bit. "Oh, what now?"

"We should go now, Asuka. The weather has calmed a bit."

"Awww, now?" He only nodded, but she couldn't see it. Not that she needed to. She already knew what his reaction would be. "Ok, ok. Gosh you're pushy. Help me up and we'll go."

So, Shinji and Asuka started their trek, with Asuka's bad arm around his shoulders for support. They had decided that to head directly down the coast of the LCL sea would be the best choice, as they might find others that came back. So far, no one had been seen, but they had stumbled upon good fortune. A house, small by normal standards, had somehow remained largely intact. After some searching, though, nothing salvegable could be found, and the walls and roof were full of holes, offering little protection from the outside. But upon further inspection, a pair of heavy wooden doors was discovered outside, under a window facing away from the sea. It was stocked full of water, non-perishable food, clothes, first aid supplies, a radio with spare batteries, digging tools, a gas stove with extra fuel, and even a small-caliber pistol, with all the necessary bullets and cleaning devices. Compared to what they had, it was a cove of treasure.

Excited at the discovery, the two teens took fort inside the basement, leaving the doors open for ventilation. After having served themselves food and water, they sat down to discuss further action.

"So, Genius, what's next?"

"I....have no idea." Shinji really didn't have a clue. But Asuka had some ideas.

"Oh great, so we just wait here? What a plan. There are SO many things I want to do."

"Really? Like what?"

"Manicures, hot spring baths, long tans on the beach....... I can feel that soothing sun, even now! Oh, and how the boys would just stare, thinking how lucky you are to be with a babe like me, ha ha!"

Shinji sighed, listening to her little rant. "You know, Asuka, I wish you would take our situation a little bit more seriously. We can't do all of that. You know too well we can't."

"No, but it is lovely to dream, isn't it?"

"I don't think dreaming could help in this situation"

Asuka was growing impatient with his lifeless attitude, but on a deeper level it began to hurt her to see him struggle so much with what had happened. Damn the Angels, she thought. Damn them all.

"Listen, you little idiot, I can't believe you're moping at a time like this. This is our second chance, Shinji, and we have no right to throw it away in fits of depression."

"But....No, you're right. Sorry."

This only served to intensify the chastisement. "Shinji, have you heard of somethinig called a spine? You know, that long bone that runs down a person's back?"

"Y-Yes...?"

"Well, the first thing we do after leaving this pit is to find you one. When I'm trying to keep a light mood, and you ruin it, you should first look to see why you would do such a horrible thing to poor little me," Shinji rolled his eyes, "and second, whenever someone corrects you, you should respond with some respect, not just slink away with your tail between your legs!"

"S-Sorry."

"And by the grace of Heaven stop apologizing! God, you make me sick!"

Shinji finally had had enough. He just snapped. "Well, you know what, you make ME sick! All the time, without fail, every remark you make is venemous, and anytime some sort of intelligent conversation arises, you manage to find a way to do nothing but criticize people! Nothing's good enough! Nothing's clever enough! I'm tired of it! I hate it all!!!" And with that, he got up, spilling his meal in the process, and quickly climbed out of their newfound home.

He began to run, blinded by rage, no direction, or place in particular. He just ran at breakneck speed, trying to get away from her, wanting to run forever. But at that speed, and seeing as how he was no star athlete, he tired quickly. He stopped, panting heavily.

"Damn it (pant), damn it (pant), damn it! Why is she like that!? Why!?" Frustration boiled over, and he reared his head to the sky, took a breath, and released a roar that humbled even the mighty cry of the EVA. He stood there, screaming at his situation, at his father, at Asuka, at everything.

It died down after a few seconds, along with his anger. He plopped down on the cold sand, realizing that he had run out close to the ocean of souls. He looked out, slowly calming his nerves. Asuka would probably be infuriated at his outburst. Maybe it wouldn't be a good idea to blow up like that again, he thought. But secretly, he felt alot better. Pent-up feelings werederogatoryto the heart, and with all of his anger now gone, he felt clearer, and lighter, like a burden had been lifted off him.

Shinji sighed, and looked around at his surroundings. It wouldn't be too hard to find his way back, as his footprints were visible in the sand, leading back to......

Shinji froze. No...... No way....... It couldn't be...... There was......a person. His mind raced. Next to his trail of prints, a man, tall and well-built, lay prone, wet, and worn out. Shinji must have just missed running over him. He had no shirt, only a pair of tattered pants. Barefoot, with mangy hair, he looked like Third Impact had landed right on him. A large crate, taller even that the man himself, lay next to him, a single leather strap connected to it, wrapped tightly around his arm.

"Holy crap.....Someone else......From the LCL... Shinji, with a renewed burst of energy, quickly advanced to the man. He kneeled over, and placed his hands on the naked back. Upon closer viewing, countless scars, some severe-looking, ran across his flesh. This man has been through alot, he thought. "Hey, come on, wake up!" He shook a little more vigorously after he recived no initial response."Come on, wake up!" Shinji felt for a pulse. Good, Shinji thought, still alive, and still breathing. But he's huge! I can't move him.

"Shinji! Where the hell are you!? If I have to walk any farther...." Shinji heard her voice from somewhere.

"Asuka, Asuka! I found someone! I found someone!" Shinji called out, no longer angry at her.

Asuka made her way over the hill, and saw Shinji hoveringnear the castaway. "Alive, Shinji? Is he alive?"

"Yes, yes! He's breathing, he has a strong pulse, but he's either unconsious, or he won't answer me. We need to get him to the shelter, right away!"

Asuka finished treking over to where Shinji was, wearing the tattered cloth they had found like a cape, and knelt down beside him.

"Alright, but how? He's too large for us to carry, especially with my arm.....Wait, I got it!" Shinji looked over after hearing Asuka's exclamation. "We use the cloak! We roll him onto it, and drag him." Before Shinji could offer his opinion on this method, Asuka tossed the shawl off her shoulders, and onto the ground. Shinji, going along with her plan, shifted the man over with some effort. He then tied two of the corners around the man's ankles, so he would not slip off the end. Then the youths each grabbed a remaining corner, and began to yank. They had to fidget with the box a bit, but afterfinally separating it from the man's arm, they dragged him head-first along a path that took a little under half an hour to traverse.

Eventually, they arrived with their cargo at the foot of the basement. Shinji went down and found an emergency stretcher at the rear of the shed, and brough it up. The man was rolled once again, this time onto the stretcher, and Shinji picked up and brought one side down, walking backwards, while the other end was dragged down each step of the stairs. After this strenuous exercise, they finally had the man on the bottom of their living area.

When they reached the bottom, Shinji collapsed onto the dirt, and stretched his weary self into a relaxed position. Finally, they were done. Asuka sat next to the man, inspecting his arms, legs, and ribs, checking for fractures or any other visible complications. She stayed silent, not wanting to look at Shinji. Shinji, noticing the unusual lack of sound, sat up to see what she was doing. She glanced up at him, then averted her eyes away from him, back down to her patient. "Asuka...."

"What?" Her voice held a caustic edge to it.

He wanted to say he was sorry, but he knew it would only anger her further. "I needed a break, Asuka. I was stressed out. Angry. But I feel much better now. Thanks for being here with me."

It was the response Asuka had hoped for. She looked up and grinned. "Of course you feel better! Youhad all that pent-up emotion inside of you. Why do you think I tease you stupid? It's because you don't express yourself, and that causes you to hurt. When you do that to yourself, you ARE being stupid! And decided to tell you in my own way. Directly!"

Shinji thought it over for a little while. All those time, he just thought that she like to tease, that she loved to name-call, but she had good intentions at heart? It was the last thing he would have expected. But he could see how she had helped out all those times. And today, she had proven herself successfull once again.

"Well, I guess you were right."

Asuka jumped on him like a cat. "Damn straight I was right. What, are you trying to imply that I wasn't, huh!?"

"No, that's not it. You just never seemed...."

"Oh, now what? I didn't seem what? Nice?"

"No! No, that's....."

"NO!? You don't think I'm nice!? Why you little....."

"Aww, man, Asuka.....OUCH!!"

And as they fought it out, the man resting beside them swam through the space of his mind, finding his long, tiring way back to the realm of the living.


	3. Painful Recovery

Disclaimer: So the idea's not mine..... So what? GAINIX and Anno can have it.....sniff....The Ghost is still MINE!!!

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Time was irrelavant. No clocks, or electronic systems kept track of the hour. Only the rising and setting of the sun mattered. From dawn till dusk, that was one day, and the passing of the moon signified a night. It had been one night after the discovery of their unconsious rescuee. Morning came, and the sun illuminated a cold desert of despair. The early rays of day came in through the cracks in the wooden entryway of the basement, and lit the warm little roomm. Shinji and Asuka had fallen asleep after their playful scuffle. Shinij was still sprawled out, spread eagle, and Asuka was curled into a ball next to him, her head resting on his chest.

When they awoke, Shinji first and Asuka shortly after, they did not move. They just lay there, friend and friend, enjoying the silent company. They were not embarressed. After all, who was there to see them together like this? It was only them two, and....

Shinji remembered that a third person was present with them. He shook Asuka, not realizing she was awake.

"Hey, no shoving, I'm already up, stupid."

"Oh, ok. I just wanted to check on the guy."

"The guy...? Oh yeah, I forgot about him." She shifted up to a sitting position, and looked over to where he was lying down. Only, he was nowhere to be seen.

"Oh no, Shinji, he's not here!"

"What!?" He sat upright, scanning the area. "Where did he go?"

"Don't ask me. YOU were supposed to watch him."

"Me!? I was..."

"I'm over here."

The gruff voice startled them both. They tumbled over each other and spun around to find the source of the voice. He was hard to see, but visible. He was reclined in a slumped position, his back to the wall, knees slightly bent, and arms lifeless, palms up. His face was invisible, concealed by his long hair like a veil.

"Mister, you're awake! That's good. Do you want something to eat?" Shinji was very excited.

"I'd watch what you take from him, Shinji's not the best cook..."

"Hey! I'm a pretty good cook, I would say. You're the one who's picky."

"Me!? I happen to have very sophisticated...."

"I'd like some, thanks." The bickering was cutoff by the gruff man's answer.

"Okay! How's Chicken Noodle stew sound?"

"Sounds good." He had not looked up once while talking, but this didn't bother Shinji.

"Again? If I have to eat the same stuff AGAIN....."

"Quit complaining, Asuka. At least we have food."

"Ooh, leave it to Shinji, the big man, to have optimism."

He gave her a cold stare. "I don't have to cook for you, you know."

Asuka relinquished the fight, standing up and heading over to the man. "Okay, you win this time, but I still have the upper hand in this war!"

Shinji simply made the necessary preparations, while Asuka asked the man some questions. "So, how do you feel?"

"Fine."

"Well, here's my take on it. You don't seem to have any broken bones, which is good, but I can't tell for sure if a concussion or any sort of hard-to-spot injury...."

"I am fine."

"Huh?" Asuka was getting a little annoyed at the man's attitude.

"I checked myself out upon awakening. I am suffering from no lasting or serious injury, only minor cuts and bruises. They will heal in time."

Asuka was losing it. Not only had he cut her off numerous times, but his manner of speaking bore an uncanny resemblance to that of Rei Ayanami.

"Okay, but just to be sure..."

"I am well-trained in the medical practices of first-aid, field medicine, and elementary surgury. I can safely assume no major threat to my health exists."

Before Asuka could respond to this comment, Shinji piped up. "Really? That's great! Asuka here has something wrong with her arm, and eye, but we don't know what to do about it. Can you help?"

He nodded, and said, "I will see what I can do."

Asuka was now ready to bite Shinji's head off for his interjection, although secrectly she was pleased that he cared and remembered. The man, with firm but gentle hands, began to unwrap the bandages around her head and arm.

"Hey, hey, you could of asked first, you know!" Asuka figited uncontrolably. It was uncomfortable, feeling the dried blood being peeled away from her flesh. Scabs had already begun to form. But she steeled her resolve and allowed the man to proceed with his work with little disruption.

"Hey, come to think of it, we don't know what to call you, other that Mister. What is your name?"

He suddenly stopped, lost in thought for a moment. Then he continued unwrapping, and stated blankly, "I have no name. It is lost to time."

----------

He had gone back to the place where he had been found, to retrieve his personal belongings. Donning the cloak that the children offered him, he ascended the stairs and exited.

For the past few minutes, he had been working on Asuka's injuries, identifying and stating each problem as he saw it, then offering up possible solutions.

"Hmm...your arm is mangled, severly. A dislocated shoulder seems to be the worst of it, along with some deep gashes, revealed bone, torn muscle, and loss of blood. It's not pretty, but it is fairly easy to mend. Shinji, that is your name, correct?"

"Uh, yes, that's right."

"Fetch me a length of bandage, the whole roll. I'll need to cover the open wounds quickly, after popping the shoulder back into place" - Asuka shivered at the notion of it - "then I can make a sling to imobilize the arm and effectively speed recovery.'

"No problem." Shinji got up and went to sift through the available medical supplies, in search of the man's requested bandage roll.

"Now, Asuka, correct?"

"Yeah?" She acted ignorant, but knew what was coming.

"About your shoulder..."

Asuka gulped loudly. "Do you have to pop it?"

He nodded. "I will perform an acupuncture exercise to slow blood flow, then proceed to count down from ten to one. At one, I need you to tense your arm, but until then, keep as still and as relaxed as possible."

She nodded, closed her eyes, and relaxed the arm. "I'm ready, but be gentle, okay?"

He placed his fingertips, ever so lightly, on Asuka's shoulder blade. He began to massage, and in a few seconds, Asuka had lost some feeling in her arm. Well, she thought, interesting technique, I'll have to ask......

"Ten"

"Oh, crap.."

"Nine"

"...."

Pop.

At eight, he suddenly squeezed and twisted Asuka's bones, and a loud crack echoed around the basement.

"OOOOWWWWWWWWWWW!!!! You JERK! Oh, DAMN, CHRIST! Oh, God AlmIGHTY, the FIRE! Damn it, WHY did you do that! Jesus..."

The man kept a straight face while responding. "Had you acutally tensed during the relocation, it's possible further damage would have resulted from excessive strain. Also, you might have passed out cold, from ensuing pain. The pain threshold of humans is acutally not that great, compared to other animals."

Asuka grimaced at the casual manner he was describing what could have happened, and at the flame that was swirling through her arm. "Fine, fine, but damn man, don't EVER try anything underhanded like that again. Owww, my arm...."

The man finished with the arm after Shinji had brought the new bandages for Asuka's arm, and made the sling shortly afterwards. He then peeled away the cloth and guaze covering her eye, revealing burned skin, and some popped blood vessels. He hovered, unmoving, only centimeters from her face, staring intently at the eye. No sound was made for a full minute, but after he finished, he sat back to speculate.

Asuka, after sitting patiently while he had performed his diagnosis, wanted an answer quickly. "Well, what's wrong?"

He did not respond, but after a few seconds, he held up a fist, knuckles up, palm towards her. "Close your good eye," he said, "and honestly tell me how many fingers you see."

She did as told, and looked, with her damaged eye, at the two fingers held in front of her. "I see....two."

"Open your other eye."

She did so, only to see with disgust the one digit pointed to the sky. Shinji reeled back in horror. "So....what does that mean?"

"Simply that without extensive optical treatment, which I sadly cannot provide, Asuka's left eye is effectively useless. Most likely, the organinc lens is warped, causing faulty double images. A surgical laser is required to correct the defecit. Also, experience with that sort of machinery, and the detailed inner workings of the eye is absolutely necessity. Lastly, the surgury must be performed in a timely manner, shortly after sustaing such an injury, or else it will be a permanent loss. All I can do is stitch together a sterile eyepatch, which will protect it from the elements, and preserve it as long as possible. That is all I can do."

And then, without a parting word, he left the children with what he had just told them. The normally stolid Asuka was in deep shock, at the prospect of losing an eye. The arm was in bad shape, but it would heal with time. But to lose vision in one eye? She had never considered it before. Her depth perception would be completely gone, and all of the simple actions, like tossing a ball or picking up something, would be a struggle to perform. How was she going to deal with this?

Shinji was quiet, deep in concentration. "Hey, Asuka?"

Her voice was like that of a mouse. "What is it, Shinji?"

All it took was one sentence, and Shinji's plan would be set in motion. "Are you really gonna sit there and pout?"

What....did he just say to me? That punk....that....egotistical....devilish....maniacal.....

There were few words for the Hell Shinji had conjured up from within the German. Simply put, for the next minute, Shinji was hurting from every known organ in his body, and from a few that were heretofore undisturbed.

Like a pyromaniac on a sugar rush, Asuka Langely Soryu stood over the defeated Shinji with evil glinting in her eye. "Say that to my face, you demented little elf!!"

Shinji, brusied to the bone, smiled painfully up at his friend. "It's good.....to let....your....feelings....show, Asuka."

He had snuffed her wrath. Asuka was petrified. Did he....just....get me angry on purpose? She looked down on her companion, who was still writhing in a cesspool of pain. Why? Was he trying to get himself hurt? Or, did he really mean.... to make me feel better?

Shinji, now exhausted from the ordeal, lay unmoving, while he guaged the girl's reactions. He hoped to draw out the same feeling of relief she had induced into him after his own tantrum. But he couldn't quite tell what was going on in the redhead. She just stared blankly, unblinking, like a statue. A falling statue.... FALLING?! At the last possible moment, Shinji braced for impact, as Asuka simply collapsed onto him, knocking the wind out.

"You know, Shinji... you can be really cute sometimes," she whispered into his ear.

"Uh...I...what?" He could barely stammer out a response.

"You heard me. I know you did. Now don't act so ignorant, and relax." She gripped his hand with her good one.

Shinji did so. And once again, they forced themselves in the warm comfort of being close to each other. Only this time, certain thoughts drifted through both their minds.

This feeling....in my gut. What is it?

This person....next to me. My friend. I like my friend.

But now...is there more? Do...do I love this friend?

Neither Shinji nor Asuka could sort out their thoughts just yet. So they abandoned all attepmts to, and relished this time together.

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My first author's note: Uh, not much to say. I write on paper faster than on comp, so I have more figured out than what is posted on the site. Expect frequent updates, at least for a little while. Peace, Love, Drugs, and what's that other one..?


	4. Hear no Evil, See no Evil, Speak no Evil

Disclaimer: GAINAX and Anno retain all rights to any Evangelion-related characters, and any accidental refrences I make make, but I say again.....Ghost is MINE! Muwahahaha!!!!

Hear no Evil, See no Evil, Speak no Evil

He had heard the fighting. From a hundred meters away, his highy sensitive ears picked up the argument, faint in the distance. He frowned. Their relationship puzzled him. Shinji and Asuka, two people, kids no less, living in a strange place. They always fought, always bickered at each other. The redhead was the spirited one, always picking a fight with her quiet companion. Yet they proved to be the best of friends. He saw them when they had calmed down. They really did care about each other deeply, but gave no outward indication of it.

But then, he really couldn't say for sure. Not being much of a social person, the man could only guess at what was going on between the teens and their feelings for each other. It wasn't his buisiness, after all. It was theirs, and theirs alone. Whenever they decided to voice their thoughts, they would.

He found his pack, which was really just a large, rectangular crate with a pair of sliding doors. It was full of equipment for his travels, and his work. It was all he owned, all he ever needed. It had carried him through a firestorm of enemies, a tsunami of bullets. His life was centered around this box. It was his blood, his shield, and his blade.

He though back to the teenagers. Should he even go back? They took him in, cared for him, and fed him. He helped the girl with her injuries, patching up her arm and informing her about the eye. And that was it. That was all to their relationship. It was over. He would just fade away into the distance, like he always had. They would forget about him sooner or later. Might as well be sooner. He had no reason to stay.

But a single needle of gulit was stuck to his heart. He felt....bad at the prospect of leaving them. Especially the girl. Asuka was her name, correct? Yes, Asuka. With the loss of an eye, her depth perception was reduced to zero. She could use all the help she could get. An he HAD promised to make her an eyepatch....

So, his mind was made up. That single pang from his conscience, the imperceptible voice, had turned this battle-hardened will. The warrior, who had walked against the greatest of strength, was defeated by something as small as an emotion. He hoisted the pack onto his back, and made his way back to the shelter.

------------

Neither Shinji nor Asuka heard him walk in. He shrugged off his case, and took a seat in his corner. He probably could have served himself noodles, and they would not have heard him. They were too lost in each other's warmth to notice. The corner of the man's mouth twitched a little, as he watched the kids nap. Cute, he thought. Well, I'm gonna have to spoil their fun. "Do you always get along this well?"

Startled by the voice, the teens awoke, and tried to get up, only to trip over each other, and fall into a tangled mess.

"Why do you insist on scaring us like that, jerk!?," Asuka exclaimed. She had wrestled herself out of the tangled mess and had hopped on top of Shinji. She was growing increasingly angry at the newcomer's antics. His sudden appearences, his mannerisms, and his anti-socialness.

"Next time, you COULD give us some warning," Shinji added. He was extremely uncomfortable with Asuka sitting on his back. "And could you PLEASE get off, Asuka?"

"Awww, can't you take a little weight?"

"It's not like you're THAT little........"

Asuka yanked his eat. "What did you just say, Shinji Ikari!?"

"Owww!! Nothing, nothing! Oww, that hurts! Stop it, Asuka! I give, I give!"

Asuka hopped off, and planted herself cross-legged on the ground, facing the quiet man. Shinji straightened up, rubbing his now throbbing ear. He noticed that the man was looking expectantly at the two of them.

"So.....did you want something, Mister?"

He stayed silent, gathering his thoughts, finding the right words, the correct way to say what he wanted to say.

"Where are you guys headed after this?"

Shinji and Asuka looked at each other. They had no idea, and didn't know what to say. They hadn't discussed what they would do once the supplies from the shelter exhausted themselves.Shinji was the first to speak up. "Uhhh.....we really don't know. We want to ho and fice mire people that are emerging from the LCL. We want...."

"LCL?" The man looked puzzled.

"Oh.....I guess you wouldn't know..." Shinji looked crestfallen. "It's a long story, but I guess we have time. It all started a little over 15 years ago...."

And with that, he retold all of his knowledge about the Angels, the EVA's, Second Impact, NERV and SELEE, his father, Misato and the other NERV personnel, Kensuke, Touji, and the other schoolmates, Rei, his mother Yui, and the final destructive unity of Adam and Lilith that caused Third Impact. Through the whole retelling, the listener said nothing, made no sound. He just sat in contemplative silence, absorbing all the new information.

Shinji ended his recant with the truth about his choice; the choice that meant all souls would have the chance to com back from the primordial soup, and live a life on a reborn Earth. He took a breath, hesitant to say anymore, and waited for a response.

The listener had not moved the whole time. his face was like stone, rigid and still. Time flowed by, as everything settled into his mind. Had the children not been able to see his eyes, one could suspect he was sound asleep.

But then, he broke the eeire silence. "So.... all that.... you actually went through all that?" He was answered with a pair of nods. "And you said the year was...."

"2015 A.D."

"Hmm..... That doesn't make any sense."

Asuka was confused. "Huh? Why not?"

"Because the date I can remeber was 1993."

"What!?" Shinji and Asuka exclaimed in unison.

"Yes, 1993..... It was the year that I died."

"You....d-died? B-but..." Shinji was stammering like crazy. "H-how can that b-be? That's b-before Second Impact ever occured!"

"Yes, I realize that, but it's true."

Asuka chimed in. "Well, if you're here, then what was your wish?"

"My wish?"

"Yeah," Shinji said, "that's right. Anybody who had a desire powerful enough could come back from the LCL. It was the gift from Lilith.... from Rei.... " He fell quiet as he remembered the blue haired angel.

The man did not speak. He clenched his fists as memories arose. His eyes bulged as something in his brain aligned, and the past came rushing back in full force.

My desire......? My wish.....? Do I have one? What do I want?

I want..... to go back......... to that time......

That place....... That person....

.....Her..... She......

What? Why? When? No...... NO!!!!

"Are you gonna answer us? Mister?" Shinji was concerned about the sudden change in the man's condition. He seemed extremely stressed out all of a sudden. What was wrong with him?

Stress was a mild term. Every muscle was tensed, every nerve on edge, his adreniline pumping, his mind racing. There was a threshold to how much strain could be put on the mind. This man had just crossed it.

With the snarl of a beast, he pounced on Shinji. He got a firm grip on Shinji's throat, and lifted him high into the air. Shinji's hand flew to his throat, trying to pry away the vice grip. Asuka began screaming in incomprehensible German. Shinji was already beginning to see spots, and his breath had stopped flowing.

Suddenly, the choke hold was relaxed, and Shinij fell to the floor, coughing and tasting blood. Asuka rushed to his side. "Shinji, are you okay? Shinji!" He managed to nod, as new air flowed into his lungs. Asuka shifted to glare at the attacker, but her anger quickly turned into suprise.

The man had fallen back to his corner, sitting in his usual position. But he was holding his hands up, staring at them, sobbing uncontrolably. Blood was running down from his ears, eyes, and mouth. His vision began to swim, and unconsiousness quickly took over.

--------------------

He opened his eyes, caked with dried blood around the eyelids. The first thing he saw, through his long strands of hair, was Shinji and Asuka, still sitting where they had been an hour before. They were talking softly, holding hands and leaning on each other. The boy seems to have recovered, he thought. Then, he remembered his own breakdown, mental and physical. He glanced down to his hands. He must have caught a large amount of blood with his hands, as they too were encrusted with the reddish-brown substance. He reached up and felt his face. Streams of the filth ran down from his ears, eyes, and mouth.

The movement from the consious man attracted the teens' attention. Shinji spoke up quickly. "Hey, Mister, are you alright?"

"Y-yes.... I am fine."

Asuka scurried up to his face, meeting his stare at eye level. "Well then, you better apologize now, or I am gonna beat the snot out of you! How could you do such a thing!?"

"Asuka, lay off! He didn't mean it!" Shinji wrapped his arms around her slender waist and pulled her away. "I don't think he was in full control of what he was doing!"

"Well, he sure had full control of your neck! He could have killed you, that lunatic!" Asuka's blood was up now. "He came from an insane asylum, for all we know! He might be......?" Asuka stopped mid-sentence, hearing something that caught her attention.

Shinji heard the sound also. He looked over to the adult, who had been tough, unwavering golem from the day they found him. Now, he was squeezing his head in with his hands, tears retracing the trails of blood under his eyes. It was not a loud sobbing, like a child who had lost his mother. It was, in fact, very strange. He was laughing, ever so softly, while a waterfall poured down from his eyes.

"I guess.... I guess I should explain myself....." The kids only stared in wonder. His personality and emotions were so dynamic it was mind boggling.

"I am..... looking for someone. I've spent.... half my life looking for..... this person. I.... she was wounded, and I took her in for a while. But I found out that a rather nasty group of people were after her. She apparantly had something they wanted; what it was I do not know. So I took her along with me."

"Took her along....? Where were you headed before you met her?" asked Asuka.

"I was carrying out my assingment. I used to be..." He stopped himself, remembering the painful work he did during that time. Not wanting to remind himself of the old days any further, he continued. "...I delivered things to people. But the girl.... God, she was only a child.... she wanted me to quit what I was doing. She hated how I worked. So one day, she just ran away during the night. And eventually, without my protection, the men that were after her finally captured her."

Asuka gasped. "Oh my.... what happened to her?"

The tears became more frequent as he continued to reveal his past. "I have.... absolutely no idea. I went in and tried to get her back........ and then the building exploded."

Shinji, mesmerized by the story, leaned in closer. "A building exploded? Which building? Were you in it? What happened next?"

The man's eyes glazed over. That building.... that God-forsaken edifice.... was the beginning of the end. It had stood up, alone, smack in the middle of a nameless desert. It was one-story, with one small door on the north side, and two large mechanical shutters, probably used for storing illegal cargo, facing east. He remembered it well..... The morning sun to his back.... The pirate stronghold situated in a valley.... He had sprinted down the hill, like a fireball leaving a solar trail.... He had burst in, going right through the heavy metal doors, leaving a gaping hole behind him. He fell into a slide, and came to a stop.

TNT. Piles, and endless piles of the black powder covered the floor, and floated around in the air. It was vile-smelling, and it stung his eyes. He looked to the floor, and saw a sparkle. A blue light, glimmering faintly in the dark. He had reached over to pick it up.

The man remembered all of this quite vividly. He looked into Shinji's and Asuka's eyes. "And then......... I died."

-----------------------------------

Note: Well, I guess I CAN remember these notes. You know, I really wish these were like those little read-along tapes. There is some music out there that would go great with this story. But, that's only in my dreams. That, and women in red dresses...... (I hope you all have seen the Matrix)


	5. Dragon Slayer

Disclaimer: Well, anything liscensed to GAINAX, Anno, etc. is still theirs. Ghost is original, though, and he is my creation alone. Sorry to be so greedy.

Dragon Slayer

Shinji took another glance at the gem on his new friend's ear. It was just a little lazurite sphere, glassy and transparent. It was clasped by a piece of metal that was shaped like a dragon claw. But when he focused on it, and the angle of reflection was just right, an aqua spark, like a trapped soul, flared up within the pearl.

The man had finished his story, still shedding salty tears. Shinji and Asuka were rendered speechless. So that was what he was hiding, they thought. That was why we found him, lying there like a dead man. He still has unfinished business. He still wants to find that little girl. Such a sad predicament.

He had gone out shortly afterwards, to wash his face of the blood and tears. Asuka was sitting there, taken aback by the man's tale.

"Shinji.... I feel so horrible about what I said to him, back there. I can't stay angry for what he did to you. By all rights, I should be mad, because he tried to kill, but I just can't...."

Shinji gave her a quick hug. "It's okay, Asuka. No, you don't have to be angry. He had alot weighing on his conscience. He felt guilty for not saving the girl. He vented his frustration on me, that's all. I won't hold a grudge against him for it."

"Well, you're much more tolerant than I. If he had laid a finger on me.... HE'D be out dinner for tonight." She flashed a devilish grin.

Shinji chuckled nervously. "Ahh, I don't think you could take him down, Asuka."

"Hmph. He's not so tough. I could sweep the floor with him!"

"Mmm, I don't think so...."

"What!? Ooooh, you're pushing it, bud! If you ever doubt my highly superior skills ever again...."

"Hey! Let go of my leg! Yeow!"

----------------------

The blood was finally off, after some intense rounds of scrubbing. He stood up, and looked out to the thick mass of fluid that was the LCL. He had come out of that mess, he thought, only to find that time had carried on without him. He was out of place in this post-Apocalypse world.

But he had the kids. He reminisced back to the shelter. Two teens, Asuka and Shinji, members of a fallen society. Their relationship with each other was so strange. They argued, they insulted, they even wrestled. But every time he looked up, there they were, bathing in an aura of togetherness. It was very pleasing to see them so happy, even in these troubled times.

He exhaled loudly. There was still a deep question that needed answering: What do we do now? These supplies that he and the teens had were not inexhaustable. They would need to move fort eventually, and he had no idea where to go, since he was so unfamiliar with the land.

Oh well, he thought. At least we can stay for a few weeks. We'll decide then what to do. He looked up to the mountain in the distance. The sun really was quite lovely, sillohetted by the peak. A breeze picked up, and a scent of something flew by.

Hey. I know this smell.

Wait.... this smell... powder...... a pungent odor.......

No....... it's dangerous...... THE KIDS!!!!

--------------------------

It was a sound Shinji and Asuka had heard before. Many, many time before. During their stints as pilots they experienced new things every day. Pain, beyond any other felt before. Sorrow, deeper than any cesspool in their hearts. And they saw things that echoed in their heads. People dying, bullets flying. They had seen fire before. They had seen explosions before.

A great rush of wind entered the basement. The increasing air pressure caused their ears to pop, while the heat brought goosebumbs to their skin. Fire whipped past them, on their left and right sides, and swirled behind them like snake tounges. Dust flew everywhere, and a shockwave made the walls groan and their bones rattle.

They screamed in unison, clutching each other for dear life. They knew what was coming. Pain would soon folloe, and they would be burned to a crisp, disintegrating into mere dust.

They waited..... and waited.... but nothing came. Shinji gathered his courage, and opened his eyes. The flames had already dispersed. Sand still littered the air, forming a suffocating cloud. But they were still alive.

Next, Asuka opened her eyes. What? She could not believe it. Why weren't they dead? She looked back to the entrance of the basement at the same time Shinji did. And there, at the foot of the stairs, was their friend.

He was leaning heavily against his wooden case, which was standing up like a cabinet. Two metal plates, as long and wide as the box itself, were sticking out of the sides, and the whole thing was covering most of the entryway. He had blocked the blast for them.

"Mister...." Asuka's voice trailed off in amazement.

In a rare show of emotion, he grinned, rather lopsidedly. "It's okay, now. Just call me...... Ghost."

----------------------------

"Ha ha! That's it! We got 'em!" The man with the bazooka was kneeling behind a pile of rubble, taking cover from the blast. He had seen the caped man leap into the tunnel, just as his missile came streaking after him. There was no way they could have survived.

"Don't be so cocky, Private! That man looked dangerous, and the targets are not just kids, they are pilots trained by the military! Proceed with caution!" The corpral in command of Special Operations Unit D-17 was a battle-hardened monk of a man. He had lived through the hell of Second AND Third Impact. The younger soldiers called him "Hydra", after the dragon that spat flames and grew extra heads from severed ones. He was the toughest, fiercest, most clever bastard his men had ever met, and each one of them showed immense respect.

"Sir, yes Sir! Requesting permission to confirm that objectives have been completed."

"Permission granted. Keep your head on, Kagisa."

Kagisa smirked, imagining all the acclaim he would get for the elimination of these targets. Keeping that expression on the whole time, he placed down his heavy weaponry and pulled out a standard-issue Glock 22. He advanced steadily to the smoking hole, and took a peek inside.

He was still smirking when the large brown chest smacked him dead in the face.

The force of if blew him back a whole twenty meters, knocking him out cold on contact.

The corpral's eyes went wide. "Kagisa! Private Kagisa, respond! Damn it, what the hell was that?" He raised his assault rifle, and watched the entrance from behind his cover. "We know you're in there! Come out slowly, with hads high!" Of course, he had no intention of taking prisoners, but his new adversary didn't need to know that. He would just.....

A blur of movement was all he saw. He refocused on the hole, but saw nothing. What the hell was that?

"Arrggghhhh!!!" One of his men, directly behind him, had suddenly screamed in pain. Hydra swung a full 180 degrees, trigger finger steady. His subordinate, Lt. Corpral Nakasi, was holding his elbow, which was twisted in a very awkward position. Hydra caught sight of the blur again. It was the man! And he was moving at an incredible speed! Hydra snapped his rifle to the left, and unloaded at the target. The man just kept sprinting, until he reached another of the Corpral's men, who was hiding behind more rubble. Another cry wsa let out, and Hydra cringed in discomfort as another team member was rendered useless.

This man..... He's a demon! He ran faster than I could follow with my rifle! But, how?

He was given no more time to marvel at this monster. The brown blur suddenly flew into the air, and over the Corpral's head. Hydra spun on a dime, and didn't even wait to see his target before opening fire. The French made FAMAS spat angry fire and a hail of bullets at the man, just as he touched the ground. But then, the cloaked figure was off again, streaking to the left of the Corpral, the instant he hit the ground. Impossible! Nobody can move that fast! It must be a trick.....

Click. He heard his rifle emit a strange little noise as the gun suddenly ceased to fire. He looked down at his custom-tailored weapon, and saw that the trigger was missing. It had been completely severed. Hydra's gut wreched for an instant. He looked up, to see the target standing off to his left, tossing around a group of rocks. No way.... he broke off the trigger with a rock!? The Corpral dropped his useless rifle and drew his sidearm, an old Colt .45 revolver, which he used to compete at friendly quick-draw tournaments. He pointed it at the man, and pulled the trigger. No bullet was let loose. He glanced at his pistol, and his eyes bulged in horror. A little stone was wedged between the hammer and the piece, preventing it from firing.

It's........ it's inconceivable....... no one...... NO ONE can do this......... no human is so skilled.........

Hydra was defeated. He had been humiliated by this person, this devil of a man. He was still juggling his rocks in one hand, eyeing the Corpral smuggly. A team of four men, highly trained and skilled, was taken down in a matter of seconds, with nothing but a box and a pair of rocks. He let his Colt slip out of his hand. There was no use trying anymore. If he angered this demon any further, he might be inclined to take the Corpral's life. And that was the one thing the Corpral valued above all else. His own life.

---------------------------

Ghost looked down at the defeated leader. Apparantly, he realized that he was outmatched. That was good, he thought. He wouldn't have to do any more fighting, for now. He strolled up to the military man, all the while still tossing his rocks around. When he reached the soldier, he stopped throwing the stones up, and leaned in close to him.

"I'm not gonna make this any harder than it should be. Those kids are officialy under my protection. Now, I don't know where you're from, but it's obvious that you don't belong here. Get up and go, right now, and I promise that I won't cause further harm to your men. You can even call in a medical evacuation, but leave us out of it. Deal?

The officer only nodded, and stood up slowly. Without bothering to take his weapons, he marched away like a zombie. Must have scared him a bit too much, Ghost thought. Oh well. He then headed back the the shelter, to where the children, his new friends, two kids now under his guardianship, waited.

Notes: Well, I finally got to tag on the name to Ghost. He's bad-ass, ain't he? And it only gets better! Wait until you see the other surprises he has in that case!


	6. The Tower in the Distance

Disclaimer: GAINAX and Anno retain all rights to any/all Evangelion related characters.

The Tower in the Distance

Shinji, Asuka and Ghost were sitting in front of the smoking rubble that they had called home. It was only for a few days, but the teenagers especially had become slightly attatched to it. Unfortunately, it had been blown away during raid by a small military unit. Ghost had protected the kids from a bazooka blast, then had moved on to dispatch of the unit quickly. Four of the attackers were still lying around, suffering from broken bones and blows to the head. Only the leader of the unit, a man named Hydra, had been left standing. He had left hours ago.

Ghost had told Shinji and Asuka about what had happened up on the surface, since the teenagers missed the scuffle. They had been taking cover underground at the time of the firefight. Asuka was looking rather down-trodden about the whole thing. Luckly, her injuries were unaffected by the explosion, but she had other concerns on her mind.

"This is great. This is just perfect! I couldn't have asked for more. Next time, we'll ask those kind men to destroy EVERYTHING, not just our food, or our water, or our shelter, or...."

"Asuka," Shinji interupted, "you shouldn't complain like that. At least we walked away alive." _Still, I don't konw how we're gonna survive without food and water. Maybe we can find another place like this, but I doubt we'll be that lucky._ "Hey, Mis... er, Ghost? What do you think we should do?"

He didn't answer right away. Instead, he continued to sit in contemplative silence. In fact, he hadn't registered Shinji's question at all. He was too focused on the immediate threat._ A special forces unit..... That must mean some sort of deployment..... from a city? No, not a small team like that. A remote base, perhaps? But from where? Should we follow that officer? His track is still fresh...._

Shinji saw that Ghost wasn't going to answer him, so he gave up on asking, and sighed loudly. _The sun is high,_ he thought. _If we were to leave now, we could cover a good distance. Of course, we wouldn't have anything to eat, or even a final destination....._

Asuka glanced over to the two guys. Both were staring off in their own respective worlds. _Ugh. Birds of a feather.... Well, this is too quiet for me! _"Hey, you two! What are you doing? Are you just gonna sit there and look bored all day or what?"

Shinji was the first to answer. "I'm trying to decide on what to do next, Asuka. We need to figure out....."

"What is there to think about? We have no provisions, not even a single canteen! If we stay, we starve! If you two are quite finished daydreaming, we should be going!"

"Yes, that's true. But how are we gonna survive without provisions while traveling, if we can't even sustain ourselves in one place? We can't rush into anything, or else....."

A sharp whistle broke up the argument. Shinji and Asuka turned to see Ghost pointing off towards Mt. Fuji. "What mountain is that over there?"

Shinji, knowledgeable about his country, spoke up. "Oh, that's Fuji. It's a pretty famous tourist attraction. Some of the trails make for the hardest hikes in the world! There are also many temples, and...."

"We are heading there. That is our destination."

Shinji looked at him in mild surprise. "Why do you want to go to Fuji?"

"If we reach an acceptable altitude, we can obtain a wide view of what's on the far side. I will be able to identify any towns or population concentrations for about 5 kilometers. It would be the most logical course of action." He didn't mention that the corpral had made off in that direction as well.

Asuka noticed that Ghost had reverted back to his old manner of speaking. He was talking like Ayanami did, not in the casual way he talked when he told them of his past. She would let it slide for now. "That's sounds like a good plan, but at that height, we'll dehydrate extremely fast. Not to mention the distance we have to cover before we even reach Fuji. Do have any idea......"

"I have water, and food. We'll be fine." He got up, walked over to his case, and pulled open the doors. Apparently, Ghost was not one to be caught unprepared. Rows of little metal containers hung on the doors of his little fridge. A divider split the interior in two. On one half, dozens of food packets were packed in tightly. Changes of clothes, a sewing kit, first aid supplies, various other tools, and a small tent filled the rest of it. "I am an experienced traveller. I am always well-prepared for any sort of contingency." He grabbed two canteens and two food packets, and tossed them to Shinji and Asuka. "Shall we go?" He was answered by a pair of nods. "Then let us go."

--------------------------------

After they had walked for about three hours, they took a break near a crumbled house. The roof was still largely intact, and provided cover from the sun. It seemd to the three that the damage was lessening in severity as they walked farther away from the site of the Impact. Shinji and Asuka sucked down their water greedily, while Ghost took smaller sips, trying to conserve as much possible. He hated to be idle for any period of time, so he pulled out the sewing kit and some cloth from out of his chest, and went to work putting together the eyepatch he had proised Asuka he would make.

Shinji and Asuka, who were not used to such long hikes, collapsed under the shade. They stretched their legs, which were burning furiously. Asuka yawned loudly, and shifted over to cuddle next to Shinji. He opened an eye and glanced at her, then closed it again and moved over so Asuka could lay on his shoulder. They lay there like that, evading the sunlight, for quite some time. Asuka, however, had something on her mind.

"Hey, Shinji," she whispered, "what do you think is wrong with Ghost? Ever since he finished his little fight, he's been acting closed again, like he was when he first met us. Why do you think that is?"

Shinji was a bit surprised that Asuka would inquire about their new friend like this. She normally didn't get involved in these issues. However, it was something that he himself noticed during their long hike out.

"You're right, he still is very closed. He is insecure about forging new relationships, probably because he is hurt. Remember, he lost that girl during that explosion. That has to be traumatic."

"But he's been open with us before. He was crying his heart out that one night. But now, he's acting like a kid. He won't talk unless we ask him something, he never gets involved in idle conversation, and I still can't forgive him for attacking you."

Shinji sighed. "I know, Asuka, but he seems a lot like me." Asuka gave him a quizical look. "I was afraid of caring about people, because I know that would lead to pain. I didn't want to get hurt like that. Ghost suffers from that same fear, but he's already beginning to recover."

"How so?"

"Just the fact that he is protecting us, and traveling with us like this means he cares for us, at least a little bit. But he won't express himself openly until he is ready."

Asuka smiled. She was proud of the young man lying next to him. He had really changed as a result of Third Impact. He was talking so maturely about something so complicated as the human heart. No longer was he the anti-social wimp she loved to mock and tease. Now, he was a handsome, confidant teenager, no longer afraid to say what he felt. She wiggled even closer to him, close enough to feel his heartbeat.

Shinji felt her moving around. He turned his head, and opened his eyes to see her. He didn't realize just how close she was. Their faces were centimeters apart. Shinji was staring directly into that sapphire gaze, powerful and piercing. He didn't flich away. That stare didn't frighten him the way it used to. Now, it meant more to him that anything else. With brisk confidence, he closed the gap between them, pushing his lips against hers, brushing her hair aside with his hand. _She tastes sweet,_ he thought. She was taken aback by the gesture, but only for a second. She pressed back with enought force to knock him back down into the sand. She shifted her weight onto her good arm, and hovered above him. They came together again, kissing softly.

Ghost heard the slight movement, and didn't even need to look over to know what was happening. He grinned to himself, and continued stitching the black material diligently. _Kids, _he thought.

------------------------------------------

Ghost finished making the eye patch shortly after the kissing started. He walked up to them silently, giving no indication to his location. He spoke up, and was slightly amused when they broke away in embarassment.

"Having fun?"

"Ahh!" They quickly put distance between each other, and turned two diferent shades of red.

"I finished your patch. We should be going soon."

"Oh, ok. Shinji, help me put it on." Shinji got the black cloth from Ghost, while Asuka pulled up her hair with her working hand. Shinji placed it on her, and tied it off around the back.

"It looks good, Asuka. Makes you look like a pirate." Shinji was smiling. It did make her look a little fierce, but her other eye still stood out brightly against her hair.

The three travellers headed out to Fuji again. Ghost was taking point, walking a few paces in front of them to inspect the area. Shinji and Asuka walked side by side, bringing up the rear of the triangle. They chatted for a while, but during a break in the talking, Shinij's mind wandered off. _Hopefully, we will meet some more people. I mean, we found Ghost, and he saw those soldiers, and...._ Shinji suddenly realized something. He yelled up to Ghost. "Hey, Ghost! I have a question about the soldiers you met!"

Ghost slowed down enough to let Shinji and Asuka catch up with him. "What?"

"We were attacked by a military unit, correct?" A nod. "What nationality were they?"

"They appeared to be Japanese Defense Forces. Probably a form of Special Operations, to be specific."

"Do you think there would be a base nearby?"

"No. The remains of one might be, but no active installations would be near here. Everything in this area was demolished. An evacuation of any survivors would have take place per standard military doctrine."

"But there were no survivors. Everyone became LCL, those soldiers included. That means they must have come back after Third Impact occured."

Ghost pondered this for a moment. _Hmm. I didn't take that into consideration. Perhaps a base is still active nearby._

"Perhaps, Shinji, perhaps. But answer me this. Why would those men have returned so quickly, while all of the residents of the geofront still be in their current state? And why would those soldiers designate you as targets so soon after Impact?"

"Hmm, that's tough. Well, I can say for sure that we have been targeted by the government for quite sometime. After all, we piloted EVA's, and the politicians didn't approve of all the secrecy that NERV was shrouded in. As for the residents of the geofront......... they've been through some pretty rough times, and I wouldn't be surprised if they are still struggling within the LCL to understand what was going on. But I think that with time, most, if not all of them, will resurface eventually. The soldiers probably never even saw an Angel. They were probably carrying on with their normal lives, until they suddenly found themselves in the one-ness. Unless a person has a serious problem with himself or with others, he should quickly return back to the world. It all boils down to love and care. If there is someone out there you want to see again, you will most likely return. That's all there is to it."

Ghost looked at Fuji in the distance. _A normal life, huh? Someone you care about? Is that all that is needed for a second chance? I guess so. Then all that's left is to decide what to do with such a gift. I wonder...... What would she want me to do.....?_

Shinji and Asuka saw that Ghost had fallen back into his usual state of deep thought. _Oh well. At least we got him to talk a little. _They slowed down again, to let Ghost alone with his thoughts. They continued like this for about another hour, chatting occasionally, when Ghost's sensitive ears picked up the slightest noises.

Thwip, thwip, thwip, thwip, thwip........ _What is that? It's not natural. A vehicle, perhaps. It's metallic, and systematic, and getting louder. Must be on the move. Wait..... It's above us? Not a plane..... A helicopter!_

"Shinji, Asuka, hide over there, now!" Ghost had stopped moving, and was pointing to a pile of rubble off to his left.

The outburst spooked the teens. They halted in their tracks, wondering why they needed to hide. Asuka spoke up. "Hey, what's wrong? Why do we need - "

She yelped, as she and Shinji were scooped up around the waist by Ghost. He bolted to the pile of rocks, and ungracefully shoved them into a little crevice in the rocks. Then, he slid himself in last, and covered the entrance up with his case, sealing them inside. It was pitch black, except for the sliver of light that seeped in through a small hole.

"Hey! What's the big idea, shoving us in here like this? What the hell - " Asuka's little tirade was cut off by Ghost's hand. Extremely angry at him, she struggled uselessly to pry away his iron grip.

"Shhh! Don't make a sound!" Shinji and Asuka stopped moving, and listened for any sounds. They waited for what seemed like an eternity before they heard the chopper. It was flying low, and was moving fast. As it passed over them, it kicked up a cloud of dust, invading their noses and causing them to cough and sneeze. The earth began to rumble from the vibrations of the rotating blades. However, the copter faded away as quickly as it had appeared. When Shinji and Asuka could hear it no longer, they pushed to get out, but Ghost held them back until he himself was satisfied that the helicopter was sufficiently out of range.

Ghost pushed his case aside and climbed out, searching the sky for the vehicle. Shinji got out next, and helped Asuka to wiggle out, trying carefully not to harm her arm further. Then, all three turned to the west, and their eyes followed the black speck out to the horizon.

"That helicopter will be back soon, and I don't want to have to encounter it again, so we'll change course temporarily, to veer us out of it's return path. But we have to get moving, or else we won't cover enough distance, and risk being spotted."

Then, he marched off, angled a little to the north. He set a brisk pace, which the children had trouble following, but they eventually matched his speed, and continued on their journey. There was no need to hide when, sure enough, the copter came swooping back across the desert. All three turned their attentions to it when it passed by. It was a dark grey, not very good camo for this terrain. A large red cross was painted on the side, indicating it's status as a medical craft. Neither Shinji nor Asuka could see any details, but Ghost countedsix people; three crew members, andthree wounded evacuees. He also saw that the craft, despite being a medical transport, was armed rather heavily. Two pairs of missile launchers on the wings, and a large mini-gun under the nose. _That must be a refitted combat copter. That's too much firepower for self-defense._ But he didn't mention those details to the teens. He just continued walking, briefly considering the possiblity of actually approaching the base as a friendly, but he knew that would never work. He knew he was now a priority target, since he posed a more immediate threat to any units pursuing Shinji and Asuka. They would just have to avoid the military for now, until all of this EVA business was straightened out.

Notes: Not too much happened in this chapter, although I did set up Shinji and Asuka for a more intimate relationship, though I don't yet know how far I want to carry it. :)

Next chapter, though, expect a lot of stuff to happen. I assure you that you won't be dissapointed.


	7. The Death of Many, the Pain of One

Disclaimer: GAINAX and Anno retain any and all rights to Evangelion-related stuff. However, if you wish to use Ghost in any of your fics, just make sure to say that he's mine, and I won't complain.

The Death of Many, the Pain of One

The trio was drawing near to Mount Fuji. From there, they would finally see if the rest of the world had suffered as much as Tokyo - 3 had. They had been walking for two days now, at a strenuous pace set by Ghost. Shinji and Asuka had to push themselves constantly to keep up with him, but he seemed completely relaxed, not even slightly winded. However, he took enough breaks to allow Shinji and Asuka to recover sufficient energy. But now, they were near their goal, the large mountain known worldwide as Fuji. Pretty soon, they would be hiking up the steep downgrades, and probably would have to climb some parts.

They were taking a short break for lunch, seeing how it was high noon. Ghost supplied them with two more food packets. He himself refrained from eating until dinner, and a small snack in the early morning. He took stock of their food and water supply. _There is still enough for three days, four if we ration correctly. However, traversing Fuji will take a toll, one I would prefer to be prepared for. Oh well. There is nothing to do but hold out and see what crosses our path._

Shinji and Asuka were resting on a rock, muching and talking casually. Once in a while, they swapped around different portions of the meals to satisfy their likings. They were looking out to the west, remembering where they had emerged from the LCL. It seemed so long ago they were residing in their little basement, stocked with enough provisions to last for at least a month. However, they held no regrets for leaving, since they knew it was better if they found a populated area to settle in, instead of staying isolated near the LCL.

Asuka finished eating, and discarded the used container. She leaned on Shinji's shoulder, remembering what had transpired between them a few days ago. They had been resting, when some movement had placed them extremely close. They had kissed softly, letting their emotions flow through their actions. It would have continued for a long while, had not Ghost playful interupted them, sneaking up behind them. Now, they sat together, looking out to the vast desert, wondering what the future would have in store for them. _Whatever happens though,_ Shinji thought, _I'll be with Asuka, and that will be enough for me. I'll take my chances, and try to live a happy life with her by my side. And if I can't... well, it's better to have loved and lost, they say._

Ghost was looking out to Fuji again, mentally planning paths and calculating distances, when he caught wind of another sound, different than the helicopter a few days ago. _It's another vehicle, but it seems to be on the ground; I can feel tremblings in the earth. Slow-moving, but large. More than one, maybe?_ Ghost glanced over to the kids. "Hey, you two! Company from the east. Hide behind your rock." Shinji and Asuka obeyed, sliding down and ducking behind their sitting rock. Ghost had already slid behind a large boulder, hiding his case, and peeking around to see what it was.

A few moments past, when a large, train-looking vehicle crawled by. It was lumberous, and shaped of black steel. Numerous steam pipes bellowed out masses of white cloud, while a huge smoke stack sent out exaust in a dipsersing stream. Ghost recognized the design. _Well, I'll be damned! An old caravan, merchant by the looks of it. It doesn't appear military. Great! We can restock our supplies with the merchants, if that is what they are._ He stepped out from behind his rock, and whistled loudly, a sound the kids were becoming familiar with.

All three saw a hatch open up top, and a hand wave to them. Surprisingly, Ghost waved back enthusiastically. The head went back under, the hatch closed, and the train-like vehicle engaged it's brakes, slowing down to a screeching halt. Ghost motioned for the kids to follow him, as he headed out with his case towards the machine.

-----------------------------

"So, you three survived the blast, huh? Well, that's mighty impressive! Welcome aboard our merchant train, _Fuji's Ring._ We make year-longtrips around Fuji, and stop at several villages on the way, supplying them with anything they might need to survive. Our final destination is Nagosati, a small town on the far side of the mount."

The trio had boarded the traveling vessel, and were amazed at the size of it. Easily larger than five commercial buses, it was full of large spinning gears, engines, and workers running around to keep it in tip top shape. However, it was too hot and crowded inside the engine areas of the _Ring_ to stay for long, so the captain, who's name was Geto, had invited them into the quartering area of the ship. It was not incredibly spacious or luxurious, but it was enough for a crew of 78 to rest comfortably for the night. Geto had sat them down, and made initial greetings with them. Then he and Ghost had sat down together at a table, while Shinji and Asuka looked out the circular window to see the sandy expanse whiz by.

Ghost had briefly explained their situation, while refraining from elaborating on any paritcularly touchy subjects, such as the nature of the explosion, or the attack from the military. Ghost had then inquired deeply about the vessel, which the captain was only too happy to brag about. After explaining the _Ring's _inner workings, Ghost got to the point.

"Well, we are travellers, heading over to the far side of Fuji, and I was wondering if you would mind selling us some equipment for the journey."

Geto put on a smile. "We can do better than that! At a fee, we can let you stay aboard as passengers, and in about a month's time, we'll arrive in Nagosati."

Ghost shook his head. "I'm sorry, but that will take too long. It would be quicker for us to trek over Fuji. The view would also help us plan our next move."

Geto looked a little disappointed. "Oh well, don't say I didn't offer. But yes, I can sell you anything you'll need for your travels." And so, Ghost and Geto got into a strategic, mind-numbing battle of barganing, pricing, and counter-pricing. The kids turned around momentarily to try and follow the exchanges, but they quickly lost themselves, and turned back to watch the old world go by.

After an exahusing ten minute round, Ghost and Geto were both satisfyed by the results of the barganing. Geto sent a crewman to fetch the supplies, while Ghost counted out the cost. They made the exchange, and Ghost loaded the new provisions into his case. He then signaled to the kids, and all three said a farewell to Geto and some of the crew, and made their way back to the hatch. _Fuji's Ring _slowed down just enough to let the trio leap off, before speeding off again into the distance. None of them had realized how much time had past, and Ghost decided to set up camp for the night, before they began their initial trek up the mountain. All three munched happily on one of the newly obtained food packs, and quickly settled in for the night.

----------------------------

It was like a feather blowing by his ear. A wisp so light, it was almost impossible to hear. But Ghost heard it. He snapped his eyes open, and tried to focus on the far off sound. _It sounds so familiar. I know I wasn't dreaming. It was soft, but out of place. It wasn't the wind. I'd better go check it out._ He glanced at the kids. _They'll be fine. And this might be a danger to them._ So, he got up from his sleeping position, which was not that different to the way he usually slumped, hoisted his pack onto his back, and took off at a jog towards the sound.

It took him only a minute to see the light in the distance. _Fire! It was an explosion! I need to go back and warn the kids..... No. It's extremely far away. They couldn't move fast enough. I have to go alone. It's better they don't get involved, whatever this is._ He took a deep breath, settled his mind, and started sprinting. Faster, and faster, he accelerated past the rocks. He was reaching a speed that would match cars on a highway, when he stopped, ten minutes later. The sight of it sent ice through his blood.

_Oh, no..... The caravan! It... It's completely destroyed! _Sure enough, the train they had ridden on, only a few hours before, was engulfed in rising pillars of flame. Nobody he recognized was outside. A smell of gasoline filled the air. _The gas must have caught a spark...... Terrible. Geto..... rest well. _

He advanced towards the flaming hulk, when he heard voices. _Across the ridge! Survivors! _He rushed over to the hill, and was about to cross over, when something went 'click'. The sound sent a nausiating wave through his gut. His eyes widened to discs as the recognized that sound as well. _A hammer.... that was a gun being cocked..... This isn't right...._

He went lying into a prone position, his case by his side. He slowly shuffled up to the ridge, dragging it along carefully. When he reached the top, and was able to peek over, a terrible ripping went through his stomach. All his muscles tensed as he took in the scene in front of him. A squeak almost escaped his gaping mouth. His breathing became staggered. His eyes began to water. _No, no, no, no..... This isn't how it's supposed to be...... It can't be....._ His brain began to throb. His mouth was dry, and with each inhale, sand rasped inside his throat. He grasped his hair with his hands. _NO! NO! NO! NO! NO! NO! Impossible! Why do they have to be here!? Why did it have to be them!? They shouldn't even be alive!! They should be burning in the deepest pits of Hell, the murderers!! Scum!! Wretched filth!! Why did it have to be them!? Why!? Why!?_

_............ No........... Not again............. I won't let it happen again................ Never again............. I'll redeem myself............ I'll avenge her.............. I'll KILL THEM ALL!!!!!!!!!_

He screamed the last phrase, letting all of his rage loose. Never before had he suffered from such anger, such viciousness. But these men had violated the last line in Ghost's heart. He had sworn certain things before he died. He swore to be a better person. He swore to protect her. The blue bead on his ear symbolized that.

But he also swore revenge against his enemies. The ones who had so easliy thrown both his and her life away. He swore never again to let them strike. He had failed. They had struck again, this time killing more people than was tolerable. Even one death would have triggered Ghost's anger, but the multiple deaths only served to increase it exponentially. He grabbed hold of his case, and swung it around in front of him. He gave the top a solid blow, and the two wings spread out. Some shouting had surfaced, and orders were being yelled. A spotlight had been aimed at him. Gunfire roared out as Ghost took cover behind his shield. He yanked open the case, sending the two doors flying away. He kicked at a hidden switch on the bottom, and the equipment fell away. Behind them, a rack lined with various metal pieces was exposed. He grabbed two of the pieces, and began fitting them together. _One barrel, two barrel, three barrel, four. Trigger, Stock, Clip. Assembled._ He heard the gunners begin a flank to his right, so he grabbed the rifle in his left hand, gripped the case cord with his right, and leaped to the side, covering an immense distance, and effectively repositioning his enemies so that they could only attack from one direction. He repositioned his shield so that it was laying flat on it's back. He let his legs slide into a stury position, his right leg stretched far out while he squatted on his left. He placed the rifle on top of the box, and took aim. Having no scope, Ghost had to rely on manual sights, but he was quite practiced with shooting manually. He let his mind focus, and he felt where his shot would fall. _Adjust for wind, gravity, distance. Let the hands cradle it. I'm ready. Now it begins..... Time to cleanse the world of these damned bastards._

And with that, Ghost let his fury fly.

Notes: Don't worry - Action will be concludedduring the ninthchapter. I hope this really catches some of the doubters out there. It only gets better, so stay tuned.


	8. The Evil Inside

Disclaimer: Ahhh..... This gets old. Well, GAINAX and Anno keep all rights to EVANGELION characters. They have the right to cancel this story if they wish.

.... And the Past Always Runs Faster

Something warm was covering Shinji's face. It awoke him from his peaceful slumber. He opened his eyes, only to shut them again when he saw the glaring sun.

"Ohh, man. That hurt. Too bright......" Shinji scooted up to a sitting position, and rubbed his eyes vigorously, trying to make the spots go away. He heard a stirring next to him, and looked over to see Asuka begin to wake up. His movements must have bothered her. _Oh well. It's pretty late in the day to be sleeping anyways. We'd better all get up. But Ghost should already be up. He's always first. Which reminds me..... Why didn't he wake up us? Hey..... _ Shinji took a quick glance around. But there was no sign of the quiet man. Even his case was missing. _Where the heck is he? Maybe he went to scout around...? Nah. He never does anything like that without telling us first._

Shinji shook Asuka gently, bringing her to full consiousness. "Hey, hey, you don't have to push so much. Jeez...."

He grinned slightly, but then turned serious again. "We' ve got a problem, Asuka. Ghost isn't here, and the sun's already pretty high. We should go look around and find him."

Asuka yawned loudly. "Aww, do we gotta? I mean, that guy can take care of himself. Why worry? He's much better off than we are."

"It's not that he's in danger. I highly doubt he is. But you know how he is. He never let's us sleep late. He always like to get an early start. So why not today?"

Asuka scratched her head. "Well, I guess..... That is a little weird. But where could he have gone? It's not like there's anyplace he would have gone, is there?"

Shinji got up, and stretched his legs. "I don't think so." He began walking in circles, trying to get the blood flowing. "I'm gonna go climb that big rock over there, and see if I can see anything. If not, we'll just wait. Ghost'll come back eventually." He jogged over to the boulder he had mentioned, and began scaling it. It was a large rock, about ten feet high. Shinji reached the top, and pulled himself up. He placed his hand to his forehead, and began scanning the horizon, slowly turning to cover as much area as he could.

After a few minutes of searching, he spotted a small light in the distance. It was north of where they were now, close to Fuji's base. It sparkled faintly in the distance. _Huh. I wonder what that is._ "Hey, Asuka! I see something! It's a light, way over there!" He pointed in the direction of the flare.

Asuka squinted to see. "Yeah, I see it! Should we go see what it is?"

"I don't see why not." Shinji hopped off his rock. "There's no use waiting around here, is there?"

Asuka smiled. "OK, then. We're off!"

--------------------------------------

A breeze picked up, stirring his clothes in the wind, but it died down quickly. The sun was hot. It burned at his skin and irritated his eyes. He was very thirsty. He was very hungry. But he didn't pay any mind to what his body told him. Physical disturbances were of no matter. He probably wouldn't have noticed a gunshot if one went off. He had tuned out the rest of the world. He had pushed away the consious thoughts that covered the unconsious, and turned inwards to stare at himself on another level. He saw what he was, what he used to be. It had resurfaced. Even though he had banished it to the deepest parts of his soul, it came back to haunt him. It had knocked, and knocked, and finally entered, uninvited. A face kept coming back, and every single time he saw it, convulsions racked his body, and a stream of white noise twisted his gut into knots. It was eternally painful to watch, again and again, as that person stared at him with solemn eyes. He had failed her. She made him promise to never do it again, but he failed. He had said that the past was behind him, but that was a lie. It was a part of him, running deeper into his being than his blood. The past was what made him what he was.

_I tried..... _An echo of consious thought broke through his suffering. _I tried as hard as I could. What more was there to do?_ _I did what she said..... What more was there to do?_

It wasn't meant to be. He tried to justify himself for his actions, but the fault lay on no one else's shoulders. It was his burden to bear. It was all his fault.

_No. It's not my fault. I did what she asked. Is it so wrong to fail?_

Yes. When a promise is made, it must be carried through to the end, lest the receiver of that promise be betrayed. He doesn't want to betray her.

_No, I don't. I didn't. I won't! I didn't do anything wrong. I just did what I was supposed to...._

Kill? Was he supposed to kill? Was it his destiny? Perhaps. He lived that way before, killing whomever he desired. Maybe that's how he's supposed to live.

_No. I gave up that life, for her. It was the promise I made. It's the promise I'll keep. I told her, I'll never kill again._

And yet..... he killed again.

_No._

Denial? Is he serious? What, then, is that wretched stench he smells? Blood? He detects the scent of blood. It's a familiar smell, one he's known for quite some time.

Ah. So he finally accepts what he's done. He's finally seen the truth. He remembers what he loves to do, and embraces it.

_No. I don't like to kill. I had to._

That is entirely possible. After all, thrist needs to be quenched. That includes....... A lust for blood.

_No. I had to protect them. Shinji..... Asuka..... They needed my help._

And now he tries to justify his actions through the children. He forgets the children were not present. He knows that the situation could have been avoided. But he chose to approach, and found the men, peacefully chatting....

_NO! They weren't peaceful. They weren't even men. They were monsters, murderers. They....._

They deserved what they got? I'm sure he thinks they deserved every ounce of it.

He agrees once more. He didn't do it out of care. He didn't protect anything. He attacked them. Out of spite?

_No....._

Jelousy?

_No....._

Or maybe.............. anger?

Ah. Anger. Rage. Vengance. He wanted revenge for their trespasses. They did something they never should have. So, he did something he's always done.

_....... I tried.......... I didn't want to............. I tried to keep my promise_

And so, he continues to torment himself. He continues the cycle, until he dies from insanity, or starvation. It's only a matter of time.

_............. But I don't want to die.............._

-------------------------------------------

Blood was everywhere. Like a demented work of art, it twisted around the kahki dunes, and formed a sickening swirl of red. It was like God himself had taken Ghost as his paintbrush, men as his paint, and created a masterpiece of bodies and blood. Humans could only stare, from the peak of Mount Fuji, and wonder what devil had concieved this wicked art.

Shinji breathed through his mouth. The smell of it made him gag. He couldn't believe it. _So many dead......... So many graves. Did Ghost really do this? Did he destroy the caravan? Why? Why did he do such a thing!? WHY!? _ He clenched his fists as his temper began to rise. He gritted his teeth painfully, looking out at the crimson-stained field. _53. In the course of a night, he killed.... he slaughtered 53 people. Not including the crewmen inside the train._

Asuka, barley able to keep her own disgust in check, inspected one of the corpses. _Guns..... They all had guns. There are shells everywhere. They must have shot at him. But, then how did he survive?_ She looked over at the flaming hunk of iron. _That wasn't Ghost. He couldn't have done that...... could he? No. I don't believe it. Sooner or later, we'll get the story out of him._ She looked over to Ghost, who was perched on his upright case, his legs hanging over the side, and his head hanging down. _What is his problem!? We called to him, over and over, but he doesn't respond. He's not dead, or else he would have fallen off his case. What is going on?_

When Shinji and Asuka arrived at the scene, they were horrified. Countless bodies were littered all over the place. They recognized the burning wreck as _Fuji's Ring,_ the train from the day before. They quickly spotted Ghost, sitting off to the edge of the graveyard. They screamed at him, over, and over, but he didn't budge. Asuka, who had some forensics training from the military, identified the weapons, bullet holes, and other signs that marked a battlefield. Shinji had become a statue, simply staring at the corpses, wondering what had gone on. But they still hadn't gotten a response out of Ghost. Shinji broke his stance, and looked over to Ghost. "Answer us damn you, answer us!!!" Nothing. He didn't give any sign or acknowledgement of their presence. This deeply infuriated Shinji. _That bastard thinks he can just ignore us!? I'll MAKE him hear us!_ He marched over to where Ghost was, walking fast. He wanted to run over and tackle him, but he restrained himself. Asuka just straightened up, saw Shinji making his way over, and followed him. She had no intention of stopping him.

However, Shinji stopped cold in his tracks. This struck Asuka as extremely odd. _ What's Shinji doing? Isn't he gonna go and knock some sense into Ghost? Well, if he won't, then I..... _ Then, she found herself halting abruptly, as she saw what Shinji was looking at.

Ghost was still in the same position as before, but he was holding something that they had failed to spot earlier. He had two pistols, jet black and extremely large for their kind, with extra-long clips jutting out the bottom. They glanced down, and saw a pair of knives. They were long, sickle-shaped, and covered with blood. A few more stains were spread across his wooden box. However, the thing that attracted them the most was the rifle. It was leaning on the side of the box to the right of them. Standing about twelve feet tall, it extended up, almost majestically. It bore a silver hue, bright, but dirty. The barrel alone took up 75 percent of the total length. The rest was a complex-looking chamber. All they could recognize was the clip, which was a large black rectangle sticking out the right side, a handle on the right for loading individual bullets, and the trigger. Asuka bent over and scooped up a shell. It was as long as two of her fingers put together. _This is no ordinary rifle. It's too large for conventional use. But we never saw him carrying it around. He must have had it separated into parts, and hidden in his case, along with the other weapons. But why didn't he tell us he had these? There is a lot he's not telling us. I hope Shinji's up to it. It's gonna take a lot of persuasion to get Ghost to talk._

Shinji, however, had no intention of getting Ghost to talk. He had every intention of striking him down and forcing the same pain on him as he forced on all his victims.

With desicive movements, he stode up to Ghost's perch, cocked back his leg, and struck with all his might. By no means was he weak, so the case fell under Ghost, and it's owner collapsed onto the sand like a rag doll. Shinji hopped over and straddled him. A look into Ghost's eyes revealed nothing. They were as blank as his mind. Shinji addressed him again. "Listen to me, you god damn bastard..... If you have any soul left......... If there is any sliver of spirit there, I want you to let me know......" Ghost only continued to be silent. And with that, Shinji crossed the threshold into madness. He balled his fists, and commenced the beating. Left, right, left and right. Again, and again, Shinji pounded on the man. Each blow alternated across each cheek. They became swollen quickly. Right, left, right and left. Shinji's knuckles began to hurt after a few minutes, but he paid no mind. With each strike, Shinji bled off more anger. His skin tore, and blood seeped out slowly. Still, he continued. Left, right, left, right, left..........

-----------------------------------------

He was getting injured quickly. He should fight back. He could dispense of the painbringer with ease.

He refuses to move. The guilt has overcome him. It is strange to see such a warrior fall to such a child.

Why doesn't he fight back? Death should be the child's release....

_No._

Ah, and once again, he refuses. No seems to be the answer to all his problems. Denial seems to protect him. He is too weak to stand up for himself.......

_No. I am strong enough. But I will not kill. I made the promise._

Even though he's already broken it once, he stands by the covenant. He is foolish.

_No. I am no fool. I know what I'm doing. I want to protect Shinji, not harm him._

And yet, he has lived by the sword. Self-defense is a warrior's top priority. By all means, he should fight back. After all, he doesn't like the pain.

_No. I don't. But....._

Then why does he hesitate? He needs to protect his own well-being above all others. That was his code. It was his life. The best life is a lonely life.

_No. She taught me to love. She taught me to care. There are other ways._

Love? He says he knows how to love? Then why does he kill? Doesn't he realize that he kills others who love? Don't they deserve to love?

_................Yes............._

Yes? Then why did he kill them? He seems to have his priorities confused.

_They killed others......... They harmed others....... They deserved it......_

Then, he says that one who harms deserves harm? That one who kills deserves to die?

_............... Yes..........._

So what of the one that harms him? He, too, deserves pain.

_............... Yes............._

Then he too, deserves death.

_............... Yes.............._

Ah, so he has accepted his fate. He may go now, to do what was meant to do.

_Shinji........... I'm sorry........... But I don't like the pain............ I don't want to die............ _

--------------------------------

Ghost's attack was all too sudden. He brought his arms up to Shinij's chest, and shoved him off. Shinji flew, landed, and looked up, startled at Ghost's rebirth. "So, you finally decided to wake up? Good. I want you to be awake for this....." Shinji charged at Ghost, who was wiping the blood off of his face. He noticed the youth's movement, and set himself for a counter. Shinji sent a hook towards Ghost's face, but he simply crouched to dodge, then elbowed Shinji solidly in the gut. Shinji doubled over, gasping at the loss of air. Ghost grabbed Shinji by the throat, and one-handedly tossed him to the side. He didn't get up. He only lay there, clutching his gut painfully.

Ghost looked over to the fallen teenager. His eyes were cloudy. His breath was ragged. He had been consumed by the voice in his head. He was not in a favorable state of mind. Everything was blurry. He couldn't make out anything. Confusion reigned over him. He was acting on instinct. _Pain.... I feel pain.... Who hurt me? I'll hurt them. Who wants to kill me? I'll kill them._

Asuka watched in horror as Ghost stumbled about, disoriented. She rushed over to Shinji. "Shinji, Shinji! Are you okay?" He answered with a stream of vomit. "Oh my God..... Well, you'll be all right. Just take it easy." He seemed to understand, and his breathing became a little bit more even. Asuka stood up, and faced Ghost. _If we can't beat him, we'll just have to calm him._ "Ghost! Can you hear me? I want you give me some sort of sign that you understand me!" He perked up, apparently recognizing his name. "Please, calm down.... You just attacked Shinji...... You just killed over fifty people! Can't you see what you've done!? Don't you hear us!?" Ghost stared off into space for a bit, until he looked down at his hands. Asuka noticed they were covered with blood. He was looking at them, long and hard. Then, he flexed them, smiling as he saw that they worked. He looked over to Asuka and Shinji, still wearing that demonic smile. And with a pounce, he struck.

---------------------------------

"Can't you see what you've done!? Don't you hear us!?"

_............. Who............ Who is that?_

His enemies are here. There are still enemies left. There should not be any left. He killed them all.

_My enemies........ They need to die......._

Correct. It is detrimental to the health when enemies are nearby. They could hurt him. They could kill him.

_They can't kill me. I'll wring them alive._

He looks at his hands. They are weapons. Can he use them?

_Of course I can use them. You just watch._

He is smiling. What is he planning? He is looking at the enemy. Will he attack?

_I won't attack. I'll kill._

He grabbed her. She is mouthing something. It is of no matter. She wants to kill him.

_I won't let her._

The other one seems to be recovering. The enemy could pose a threat to him.

_I won't let him._

The enemy is hurting him. He feels pain, behind him.

_Hmph. I'll stop the pain. I'll kill him too._

The enemy is stopped. He has the enemy by the neck. It is a vulnerable spot.

_I'll choke him to death._

Just like before.

_................... Like before? Have I met him before?_

Yes. This enemy has been travelling with him for some time. He was under the impression that the enemy was his friend.

_Friend? I don't have any friends._

True. The enemy is the enemy. He was never....

_Wait!............ There was someone......... There were two of them........... Two kids_

They are his enemies.

_........... Really? I thought........... They cared for me........_

Only an illusion. The enemies showed only false care, to lure him.....

_NO! I remember..... They helped me....... I helped them....... We were friends......._

Is he recalling the falseness of that relationship? They tried to harm him. They tried......

_You're wrong. I remember....... Shinji and Asuka....... My friends......... _

DON'T INTERRUPT ME!!! I AM ALL THAT YOU ARE!!!

_Ha.... Ha ha...... My friends......... I'm sorry......... I betrayed you......... I'll stop now......._

NO!!! THEY'LL KILL YOU!!!

_No..... I'LL KILL YOU!!!_

----------------------------------------

Ghost dropped Shinji from the choke. He fell to the ground, coughing up blood and bile. Asuka was screaming his name, helping him to clear his throat. Ghost placed his hands to the sides of his head, and squeezed. Something was building up inside his mind. Something was being fought over. As Ghost struggled to gain control, Shinji had recovered enough to focus. He saw Ghost being tormented by his inner demons. Asuka also had her attention on him. They watched as Ghost spun in circles, trying desperatly to physicaly rid himself of this unnatural influence. In a final moment of glory, his eyes became as clear as crystal, and he looked up to the shining sun, and declared his vow to the world.

"I'LL KILL YOU!!!"

Authors Notes: Wow. That was the most interesting bout of typing I have ever done. The whole third-person talking entity thing was a last minute addition, but it went over well. I did that on purpose, by the way. It's supposed to be Ghost, in italics, arguing with an unknown force, in regular font. This is my favorite chapter up to date.


	9. Two Paths from One

Disclaimer: Fine, GAINAX is too long to spell out, so... Oh... Whoops... Evangelion is not mine! Leave me alone!

Ah... It's been far too long since I worked on this story... been too busy saving the world, eatin' Oreos... ya know, the usual... Anyways, I had to read my story again (Haha) but I think I know where I'm gonna take it next. I'm sorry it took so long. Having a life will do that to ya. Happy New Year, Christmas, and whatever obscure, forgotten holidays exist out there.

Two Paths from One

Ghost walked along the little trodden path. Leaves cracked, twigs snapped, and dirt was stirred, as he trudged along a little forest path on Mount Fuji. His holstered pistols slapped against his legs with each step, and his knives clinked in their sheaths. He saw no more reason to conceal them, so he wore them on his belt. Aside from his own breathing and his footsteps, they made the only noises around. A bit of wind flitted about, but it was deathly quiet. He tightened his pack strap a little bit, and walked along more. He was tired, almost to the point of collapse, but he willed his exhaustion away, and refocused his eyes on his path.

_Food... I need food... I need water..._

But his pack was empty. All his supplies had been given to the teens, and they... they were gone.

-

Shinji had stopped coughing and hacking minutes ago, and was busy stitching together a pair of cloaks, to protect he and Asuka against the harsh winds that were picking up. Ghost's little sewing kit was well stocked, and it wasn't too much trouble to construct two hodgepodge garments. He finished, and placed the contents of the kit away. Holding his work up to the sun, Shinji smiled. They weren't much, but they were something.

He got up, and walked over to Asuka. She was still sitting there, crossed legged, facing Mount Fuji. For thirty minutes, she had stared off at their next destination. Shinji lost his smile as he knealt down and placed the cloak on her shoulders.

"He's gone, Asuka. For good. For better."

Asuka craned her head, and looked him in the eye. A watery, downtrodden look grabbed his heart and stuck it in his throat. "For better, or for worse"

Shinji plopped himself next to her, and donned his own coat. "Yes, for better. You saw what he did. He killed them, Asuka. After all we went through, after all the sacrifice, he went and slaughtered fifty-three people, for no reason at all."

"Yes, you're right. I won't forgive him that easily, but still... he deserves another chance..."

Shinji shook his head as he remembered their parting. Ghost had regained his mind, his sanity. He walked over to them, and kneeled before them. Realizing what he had almost done, he hid his eyes, and tried to speak.

"Shinji... Asuka... I..."

Shinji had rushed up, and stared him down, eyes inches from each other. "WHY? Why did you do it? Huh? Why did you kill them? Why did you attack US"

Ghost's eyes grew to slits, and Shinji retreated, falling back quickly. "I didn't mean to attack you. I am sincerely sorry for that, but..." He glanced over to his field of blood. "I had to."

"You had to? What kind of answer is that"

"They murdered the crewman. They murdered the captian. They destroyed the _Fuji's Ring_."

Shinji's anger dissapated a bit, as he remembered the merchant crew that had helped them out. "They did, huh? Well... I can understand your frustration, but still... That gives you no right to become a mass murderer"

Ghost kept his piercing gaze steady, and looked back to Shinji. "They killed her."

Asuka saw her chance to stop Shinji's verbal assault. "Killed who"

Ghost reached up and carressed the blue crystal hanging from his ear. "Her."

Shinji didn't falter. "Revenge, huh" A nod. "That still doesn't justify..."

"It makes my actions perfectly justifiable" Ghost roared at Shinji, who was startled at his outburst. "Do you know how long I was looking for her, how long I lost her? I still want to find her, but... it's been twenty-two years, and she..." He stopped, as images from the past came back again. A face, swimming in the dark, smiled at him. The little blue orb caught the light, ever so quickly, and sparked.

Shinji steeled himself, and continued talking. "It doesn't matter. Humans are humans, and everyone deserves a second chance. I, we, we gave everyone a second chance. And you would waste yours by taking others away? What kind of monster are you"

"Tell me, Shinji, do cold-blooded bandits deserve second chances"

"... I can't make that distinction. I don't know the details."

"Well, I can. I know what happened here. I saw what happened now, and then. They took that girl away from me, Shinji. She was all I had. Those theives, those god-forsaken pirates killed me, and for all I know, they killed her, too. Do they deserve that second chance? DO THEY"

Shinji nodded. "Yes. They had their chance. They had their wish. They weren't just any old people. Those victims, they came back to this world because they had something to live for, whatever it could have been. They had something to care for. And you took that away from them."

Ghost stood up, and walked away from the argument. He found his pistols, and systematically began to inspect them. He also found his knives, and wiped the blood from them. He placed all of them into their respective slots on his belt, which had been until now devoid of any equipment. At length, he made his way back over to Shinji, but didn't take his seat.

"So... what do we do now"

Shinji just glared at him. "We don't do anything. Not together. Not after this."

"So you're leaving"

"Yes"

"Asuka"

Asuka only nodded. "I don't want to, but Shinji's right. You can't just kill anyone for a grudge."

Ghost sighed. "A grudge, huh? So that's what it is? Just a childish grudge" He didn't get a response from the children, so he took his pack, and threw its contents on the ground. All the food, clothing, and even the tent were scattered across the ground. "Take it, then. You'll need it more than I will." He hefted the now very light box over his shoulder, hoisted his rifle on top of the box, and turned his back on the children. Setting a quick, steady pace, he began to march away. Shinji whirled around, and quickly stood up.

"So that's it then? Are you just going to run away"

Ghost halted. The sapphire sphere on his ear gleamed again. He took a deep breath, and yelled his last goodbye. "I'm going to search for my wish. You say that there was a reason, for everyone? Well then, I'm going to find mine. I wish you good luck, Shinji Ikari." And then he left only dust behind him, as he disappeared into the distance.

-

Ten hours. For ten hours, he had trudged slowly up the mountain. No food. No water. No shelter. No reason to stop. No one to talk to. _What a situation._ The sheer altitude change had already taken a toll on his breathing, and without water, any normal person would pass out from dehydration and the oxygen deficiency. But Ghost was not ordinary. He willed his body to move as far as it could. He didn't allow the sheer desolation phase him. He only thought of his ultimate goal. To find her. If what Shinji said was true, then he had come back for a reason. Some inner wish had driven him to the threshold, and allowed him to arise again, after all these years. He knew that the only wish he had was to find her. That was it. That sole thought propelled him to the greatest lengths, taking out anything in his path. _I have to find her. She has to be alive._ An aqua light caught the corner of his vision, but he willed it out of his attention. No distraction could enter his mind now. If he was to make it, single-mindedness would be absolutely necessary. No more getting off-track. Not again.

He thought back to the two kids. _Why did I even bother?_ It wasn't that he hated them. He actually enjoyed their company. But he had lost sight of his goal. If they were going to be that much of a burden, that much of a distraction, then he couldn't stay with them. He had his own agenda to take care of. But he wouldn't just let them die. So he had given them all of his survival provisions, keeping only his five weapons. _It's lighter, anyhow. Much lighter. I'll be able to make it over the peak in no time._ But it was just wishful thinking. He was only human. Death had proven it once before. And now, the piercing deterioration of his physical condition was reiforcing that very fact. He was not walking nearly as fast as before. He even began to stagger from time to time. He was just too weak to stand up straight anymore. But with a constitution of iron, his mind willed his body to move. But every second of the over-exertion that went on, taxed his body more and more. Soon, a blur swept past his eyes, and his path took on a swaying S-shape. Like a drunk man with a hangover, Ghost couldn't put one foot in front of the other. He started leaning on trees, trying to regain every ounce of breath he could. But impossibilities cannot be overcome. And Ghost was pushing himself to that limit.

He fell to one knee, sucking in lungfuls of the thin mountain air. A burning sensation was running through his body, except for his legs, which were numb. He couldn't stand anymore. A flock of birds scattered nearby, as he fell to the ground with a yelp. Dirt stuck to his tounge, and he rolled onto his back, trying not to inhale it. His rifle clattered onto the ground next to him, and he desperately hoped that nothing would happen during his unconsiousness.

-

Shinji and Asuka hiked until late afternoon, stopping for breaks every now and then. Without Ghost to push them, they took on a much more leisurley pace. Still, they covered quite a bit of ground, and even managed to scale a bit of Fuji before turning in. Asuka was clearing out an area with a machete for the tent, while Shinji got a fire going, and put on some ramen noodles. Within minutes, the bubbling stew was ready, and Asuka came back from her job, sweating a bit.

"Tired"

She nodded. "Yeah. There were some thick branches. Nothing I couldn't take care of, though."

Shinji smiled. _Arrogant as always._ He began to pour some of the ramen into two bowls, and pretty soon they were quietly munching on their dinner.

Asuka had the events of noon on her mind still, and she couldn't hold them in any longer. "Hey, Shinji? Why do you think Ghost came back."

Shinji twitched a bit at the mention of their long gone friend, and he slurped up a bit of noodle off his chin. "What do you mean"

"Everyone comes back if they really want to. Which means everyone has something, some kind of wish that brings them back. Ghost had been dead for 22 years, and now, finally, he wills himself back. What could be so strong as to accomplish that"

"He really misses that girl, I guess. But even so, just missing her wouldn't do it, at least I wouldn't think so. That's not a wish, it's a hope. His wish... I guess he wanted to find her, and he wanted to so badly it brought him back. But that is strange. Dead for 22 years..."

Asuka pondered over it for a bit, finishing off the last of the ramen. "I guess it's possible. I mean, he is here, after all. I wonder where he went."

"Probably wandering aimlessly about, looking for more people to kill."

Asuka got a little annoyed at the mention of the massacre. "Why do you insist on bringing that up"

"Becasue he killed 53 people, Asuka. I can't just forget that so quickly."

"I'm not saying you should forget. I'm saying you should think about it."

"What is there to think about"

Asuka pounced on him, spilling the ramen in the process. "Listen, you" pointing her index finger at him"I don't like that attitude. Whatever happened to the little Shinji I knew? You were never that arrogant, that closed-minded."

"But... but Asuka..."

"Do you really think he enjoyed killing those people? Look how much he suffered afterwards. He went insane for a bit, Shinji. Something took over his mind. Do you think that was pleasant for him"

"No, but..."

Asuka got off, and scooted away from him, turning her head away. "Hmph."

Shinji brushed himself off, and got up slowly. He made his way over to Asuka's side, and sat back down. "Asuka... it's just that... that he killed so many. I hate to think their new lives were wasted. Even if they did kill the people on _Fuji's Ring..._ "

"So it's all right to forgive them, but not Ghost" She still wasn't looking at him.

"Asuka..." Shinji hung his head. _Maybe she's right. He has been through a lot. He did loose control. Maybe he does deserve some consolation._ He mentally kicked himself. _Of course he does. He needs more than that. He needs help, too. Maybe we could help him._ "Maybe..."

"Maybe what"

Shinji wrapped an arm around Asuka's shoulder. "Maybe we could help him." He voiced his thoughts. Asuka didn't move for a few seconds, then let her head fall into Shinji's chest.

"That's better, Shinji."

Shinji gave her a squeeze, and she looked up into his face. Her one eye was reflecting the light of the fire, and the flame of her personality was shown in that gaze. Shinji stroked the crimson hair from her face, and let his fingers trail down to her lips. She opened them, and let Shinji fall into a kiss that brought both of them to the ground. Asuka's hands were feeling out Shinji's body, and found his hands. They gripped tightly, and let the embrace fall deeper into a lovely passion. The tent wasn't even fully set up yet. But nevertheless, Shinji hoisted Asuka into it, and they continued this all through the night, letting themselves meld into the other, locking themselves into a life with the other.


	10. Breakdown

Disclaimer: For about the tenth time, if I am asked by one who holds authority over me in regards to this story, I will acknowledge my boundaries, for the willow must bend, lest it snap.

(Did that really make any sense?)

FW: Phew, so I'm back in the groove now, starting this chapter only one day after finishing another from one of my other submission, Vampiric Lone Wolf Blues. Check it out. Ok, enough with the self-advertising. Well, I can say that although it's been a while, we're really almost done here. One or two more chapters, and I'm gonna call it a wrap. I left off... with our heroes going their separate ways. Don't worry, it won't last long. Not long at all. So, curtains drawn, stage set, here's...

Breakdown

Extreme changes in temperature always result in a violent reaction. When you blast something with heat, it fries and singes. When something red-hot is chilled, it usually breaks. So when a person, unconsious, sweating like no other under a direct beam of sun, is doused in the face with a bit of ice-cold water, a violent reaction is sure to occur.

Ghost awoke rather quickly after the chill waved over his face, and droplets of what felt like pure cold ran down his cheeks and tickled his unshaven face. He blinked away the water that tried to run into his eyes, and focused on the source of the rude awakening. His vision wasn't quite what it should have been, considering his poor condition, but he could make out a slender figure, leaning over his prone body.

"Are you alive yet?"

Ghost felt that was a rather unnecessary thing to ask, but he didn't comment. "Yeah, I guess. Couldn't you have been a bit more... gradual, though?"

"I've been shaking you for the past ten minutes. You were out like a light. You seem a bit sick, though, a bit delirious. When's the last time you had water?"

"Just now."

"Don't give me that. You're extremely dehydrated. Here, sit up, I've got plenty of water."

Ghost felt a hand guide him up into a sitting position, and as the haze cleared from his eyes, he took a good long look at the woman. She was young, maybe a bit older than Shinji and Asuka, and pretty. Her hair was a light chestnut brown, her skin was fair, and her figure was trim, with curves in the right places. What intrigued Ghost the most about her was her face. It was one he had seen before, many years before. A face that he had burned into his skull. This young lady, whom he had never met, so resembled his child friend from his buried past that it was frightening. He could see the same innocence through those azure blue eyes. It mocked him to think that she might be standing right before him, but he kept his emotions in check. This wasn't the same girl, it couldn't be. There was a different air about this woman. Maybe it was the age difference, but Ghost couldn't feel that this was his long-lost friend. He just couldn't accept it.

She caught his anylyzing stare, and gave him a smile. "What are you looking at?"

"You just... reminded me of someone, that's all."

She giggled. "Well, I don't know if that's from your delirium or not, but either way, we want to get you moving, and get you some water. Here." She snaked her arm underneath his shoulder, and helped him shift up to a sitting position. She handed him a bottle of water, and he began to suck it down. "My name's Kari. I was just in passing towards the town right over this ridge when I spotted you."

"There's a town over the ridge?"

"Yeah, the village of Tenrai. It's a small place, and isolated, but still standing, despite the recent destruction."

Ghost kept quiet, knowing the cause of it all, but not wanting to reveal too much. Kari studied him for a bit, then shrugged, and got some more supplies arranged for Ghost, as he recovered his stamina, taking an occasional sip of water.

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The brisk chill of the mountain morning was what arose Shinji from his sleep. The large cover that he and Asuka had been sharing had been shifted over to where Asuka had curled up into a ball. With the lack of cover, all it took was a bit of wind to really get Shinji up and scrambling for more clothes. It took a few minutes of sifting through his stuff to find warm outerwear, and within minutes he was sufficently bundled up. He went over to Asuka and tried to get her up.

"Asuka." No response. "Asuka, wake up." He poked her with his foot, but she refused to even twitch. He took a second to ponder methods to wake her, and said to himself, _Well, if it worked for me, it'll work on her_. He took a handful of covers and yanked, exposing her. Instantly, goosebumps crawled up her arms, and her eyes bugged out as she awoke violently. She found her violater, standing there with her blanket, and he had to wonder why he ever thought that was a good idea.

"**SHINJIIIIIII!**"

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Shinji sat in solemn silence, stirring a pot of simmering stew ever so slightly. The bump on his head made it hard for him to think, and any movement that disturbed his blood flow caused him immense pain. Therefore, he chose not to budge from his position around the cooking fire, and simply delved in his regret. Asuka emerged from the tent, still a bit miffed that Shinji had woken her up like that, but really she had calmed down quite a bit, and simply wanted to watch him squirm. Shinji noticed her, and buried himself in his meal, trying to avoid her stare.

"Shinji."

"..."

"Shinji..."

"..."

"Quit ignoring me, or your bump is gonna have a bump." That got his attention, and he swung his head quickly to look at her.

"Yeah?"

She took a seat next to him, and served herself a bowl. "If we can't find Ghost soon, we probably won't find him for a while. What do you think we should do if that happens?"

Shinji saw that she was serious now, and he relaxed. Putting his bowl down, he lay back to look at the sky between the trees. Thinking for a minute, he didn't say anything until he was sure, and even then he spoke cautiously. "He moves faster than us, has more experience than us, and is probably pushing himself harder than us. I'd say we'd be hard pressed to reach him. Which means we now have to focus on ourselves, and forget about Ghost for a while, though I hate to say it. Our supplies are limited, and a wild goose chase after him would be ineffecient. We need to find our way back to civilization. After all, that was our goal before we met him, and started to follow him."

Asuka slid her way over to his side, and laid her head on his chest. "Don't feel bad about it. You're right, we can't keep up with him, so it would be stupid to try. Maybe once we've found somewhere to stay we can look for him again, but we need to think of ourselves. Besides, he'd want us to be safe."

Shinji smiled, and she gave him a small peck on the forehead before getting up. "Now, stop worry about your damn bump and come give me a hand with this tent." Shinji's smiled was deflated, and he got up and helped pack up.

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"Okay now, one, two, three!" Kari counted off, and on three she stood up, guiding Ghost up to his feet. It had been about half an hour since she found him, but he recovered quickly with just a bit of water, and he only need a bit of help getting to his feet. The delirium had left him, but his muscles were a bit weak, and he was unsteady in standing up. However, after he was up, he could walk around easily, and stretched this way and that to try and get rid of his stiffness.

Kari slung her pack over her shoulders, in preparation for more hiking, when she spotted Ghost's case. It had been leaning agaist a nearby tree the whole time, but had paid it no attention until just now. Walking up to it, she was dwarfed by it, and she ran her hand against the wood in amazement.

"Have you always carried this monster?"

Ghost looked at what she was refering to. "Yeah. That's my pack. Large, but it fits a lot of supplies, enough for a month and a half, just about."

"Is there anything else in it?"

"Nope, I... used it all up." He was reluctant in telling her about Shinji and Asuka, thinking that he would have to go over the whole story. The massacre. The train. Everything.

"Why are you still carrying it around then?"

"Well... it's my last possession, and I really don't want to part with it." Again, he refrained from telling her everything, like the fact that he had large arms in there.

She tested the weight. "It's incredibly heavy. I think you should abandon it. If there's nothing in it, it'd be dead weight."

Ghost chuckled, and walked over to where Kari and the case were. In one fluid motion, he slung the giant wooden box over his shoulder. "Sorry, but this thing and I do not part. If that doesn't sit with you, then we'll go our separate ways."

Kari shook her head, saying something about men under her breath, but she gave him a skeptical look, while saying, "You're really gonna take it?"

"Yep."

She sighed. "Well, I would feel bad just letting you go off to faint again, so I guess I'll just deal with it." She pointed up the mountain. "That's the way to Tenrai. If you're ready, we'll go."

"I suppose having a destination is better than wandering aimlessly." Ghost looked back down the mountain, maybe hoping that he would spot either of the kids, but of course there was nothing there, and he pushed such thoughts from his mind, and resolved his will. "Yeah, sure, I'll go with you. Lead the way." And together, Kari and Ghost headed towards Tenrai, the closest wisp of civilization to the Third Impact Crater.

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Shinji and Asuka had already been hiking for about an hour. The sun was high, but through such a dense ceiling of leaves light couldn't penetrate very well, so where they were, it was cool, and the altitude contributed to a chillier air than the sun might grant. A draft ran between trees every so often, so it felt like they were passing air conditioning units. There was a constant fall of leaves, and so the path they took was littered with leaves of multiple colors, and an undistubed nature. It made sense to conclude, then, that when anything disturbed the leaves on the ground, it was easily noticable from the rest of the ground, which remained undisturbed for many months at a time.

Shinji was the one to spot the little clearing in the woods, made not naturally but by someone's own hands. Leaves had been pushed to one side or the other, and there was enough room for a small campsite. It formed a rough circle, and more leaves had already begun to fill it in, but nothing in nature formed so perfectly. Shinji was convinced that the clearing was artificial.

Asuka came up to Shinji and peeked over his shoulder, to see what he had found. "A clearing."

"Yup. Somebody was here, and not too long ago."

"Ghost, do you think?"

He placed his hand over his mouth in an intellectual gesture, and mulled for a bit. "I don't think it's a coincidence that we find this here, in the same proximity and time that Ghost has been hiking. It's entirely possible, and I'd even bet that it was him. Either way, it's a sign of life."

Asuka knelt down to further examine the ground. On one side, there was a depression that indicated someone laying down, and someone rather large, judging by the size. _Ghost..._ Beside that, a very straight edged, cornered mark in the dirt caught her eye. _A box...? Wait a second... A large space for a large man, and room for his pack right next to him?_

"Shinji, this has to be Ghost. The tracks here fit his physical size, and there's even one for his box."

"Well, if that's Ghost, who's this?"

Asuka made her way over to the other side of the campsite. There was something similar there, two marks for a person and their stuff, but both marks were noticably smaller, and the space for the pack was not that of a box like Ghost carried.

"Ghost found somebody else?"

Shinji scowled. "It's not like him, but who knows? I guess that also raises the possibility that it's not him. After all, he never lay down, like it looks like here."

Asuka took a few steps around the site, and pointed over to some other tracks leading away from the campsite. "Well, they went somewhere. Further up the mountain, in the direction that Ghost was heading."

Shinji smiled. "Then that reinforces it. We would've seen anybody else coming down, and Ghost wouldn't have sat down with someone who was just passing. That means that ---"

BANG, BANG... BOOM... BANG, BANG, BANG...BOOM!

Their eyes dilated at the now familiar sound of gunfire. Shinji clenched his fists at the realization in his gut. It was Ghost, and could be no one else. He could hear the voice in the back of his head telling him that it was him. He was angry and relieved and distressed all at once. He froze for a second, until Asuka came running down and yanked his arm.

"Hurry, Shinji, that's Ghost! He's fighting again. We gotta catch up to him, before we lose him!"

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Ghost and Kari had been walking for about half an hour, when Ghost noticed that the path they were walking on actually was a path. It was more defined, more level, and it lead to a peak in the slope. As they approached, Ghost could make out the fringe of a few houses, a small collection of buildings off in the distance. He reached the high point, and stopped. Kari smiled, and waved her hand in an encompassing gesture. "Welcome to Tenrai. My hometown."

Ghost looked over the little town with a small warmth in his heart. He could make out people, walking up and down the dirt roads, kids stirring up clouds of dust with their play, smokestacks releasing fog into the air, adults tending to their homes, while others could be seen working at some of the large buildings. It was not so small as Kari had made it out to be. There was a clear road for cars leading out of the wooded area that Tenrai was situated in, and he also spotted a few cars parked in front of a few of the houses. Many had antennae on top to recieve broadcasts, and the center of town was moderately developed. This was not isolated to the world. Ghost could really get back in touch with the rest of Japan starting here.

The tiniest of flickers fluttered through his mind. While his sight and mind were on the town, his other senses were reached out into the immediate area. There was something nearby besides him and Kari. Maybe he heard it, maybe he smelled it. He took his gaze off of the town for a moment and focused on his ears. There, to the right, the smallest unnatural rustling of leaves. Somebody was approaching quietly from his right side. Kari was standing a few meters back, on his left. In fact... it seemed as though she was retreating. Yes, she was taking careful steps backwards, slowly. _So, she's in on it too. It's quite possible that she's armed too, the way she rests her hand on the outside pocket of her bag. And it doesn't have a zipper... Easy access without arising suspicion. Nice._

Ghost, without looking, slipped his right hand down his case, where his weapons lay. He considered whether he should unholster and fire first, or activate his shield and take cover before he fought back. The switch to slide out the metal panels was closer, so he placed his fingers on that, let all extraneous thoughts exit his mind, and quickly looked to the right, where the soldier had an assault rifle trained on him. Ghost could see the surprise in the soldier's body, and judged when he would tense and pull the trigger. He waited, waited... Now.

Ghost flipped the switch, and two steel panels flew out of the side of the box like wings, just as the camoflauged soldier let off a volley of bullets that ricocheted harmlessly off of his cover. As Ghost opened his case to retreive a weapon with which to fight back, he heard a momentary pause in the firing, and quickly peeked around. A grenade had landed not a foot in front of the case. Although he would survive a blast, at such close range it would unhinge him from his defense, and so he reached around, grabbed the grenade and lobbed it back over. It exploded in mid-air, not a second after he had thrown it, but he was fine. The soldier continued to supress Ghost behind cover, but now Ghost had the time to unlock the case and arm himself with a pistol. The fire from the trees was rapid and accurate, and Ghost would have to carefully gauge when a break would occur in the fire. He counted off bursts, and estimated when his opponent would need to reload... there!

Ghost spun around to the left side of the case, and slid one foot out with the other in a crouched position. He settled the sights onto the soldier, and realized a split second before he fired that another grenade had been loosed in his direction. He fired, and hit the man's outstretched shoulder, but the grenade was timed and thrown well enough that Ghost had no time to throw it back, and it exploded about ten feet from him. The force of the blast was enough to knock over the case and send Ghost flying back another few yards, but Ghost had gotten the better of his adversary.

He took a few moments to breathe, as he had just had another close encounter with death. However, this was not so bad as some of his battles. He was just glad no one was hurt.

AIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII!

A scream to left ruined his victory, as he quickly vaulted to his feet, and trained his gun in the direction of the sound. There, he saw a horrid sight. His blood ran cold as Kari held a small revolver up to Asuka's head. _She must have entered the area during the battle, which means that Shinji can't be far behind._ As if on cue, Shinji leapt up from down the path and charged at Kari. She deftly changed her aim to Shinji's legs, and fired a single shot which pierced his thigh and brought him tumbling down.

_Damn her._ He raised his pistol, straight at Kari's head. _You think you can get away with that?_ His teeth were clenched and his blood was flowing. _No one messes with them. No one._

"Kari!" She heard her name, and faced Ghost and the barrel of his over-sized .45. She only smirked, and brought her own weapon up to Asuka's head again, with her armed clenching her neck in a vicegrip.

"Don't even presume to think you have control of this situation, Ghost. It's you I want, so if you cooperate, the little missy here won't lose her head. Don't worry, I'm not afraid to shoot."

This should have angered him even more. This should have been the last straw, and by his very nature he should have taken care of this situtation in mere seconds. He had the ability. He'd done it before. But now he hesitated. There was a visible hesitation in his eye. He couldn't summon the guts to fire. He wasn't afraid of missing, or killing. It was...

_It's the resemblence. She looks so much like...her._

A flash of a picture echoed through his mind, and once again Ghost could see the her. The sea-blue eyes, the flowing golden hair, the innocence. All of these and more were present in the young woman standing before him. Maybe... just maybe... it was her. Ten years... The age was right. The face was right. Even her mannerisms, her voice... could this be her? It had to be. He wanted to believe it was, but... now evil was present in her, in the way she stood, in the way she snarled... what evil had possesed her so? Didn't she remember him?

"...W-Why? Why are you... doing this?" Ghost couldn't suppress tears. His lip was quivering. He couldn't breathe straight. It hurt to speak.

Kari sneered at him. "Stupid. Do you think that your little stunt, out there on the outskirts of Fuji, went unnoticed? There's a large bounty on your head now, for the murder and destruction of _Fuji's Ring_ and all of it's passengers."

"W-What?" Ghost could clearly remember that day, when the three of them were picked up by the caravan, and treated to a stay, with dinner and conversation... They sheltered them for the night. Ghost never touched the train. In fact, he was the one to take revenge on the pirates that did destroy it. Why couldn't she see that? "I never... those people were my friends..."

"Liar!" Kari's face contorted, and she screamed like a feral wolf at him. "You were there! You, the killer, the freak, the tireless machine. You, who should have died ten years ago! I did my research, I know who you are, you're dead! Back from the grave, pretending to be human still. You murderer, you don't deserve to walk!"

Ghost was flustered at this outburst. His hand was trembling so much. He couldn't keep the sights still, and he lowered his gun in fear he might hit one of the kids. The fight had been taken out of him. _Murderer, freak, killer... I'm not dead anymore, but... should I be? Am I really just a... just a ghost from the past?_

Kari took her weapon away from Asuka's head, and shoved her to the ground. She was now in a crimson rage like no other. "Ghost, you're head's worth alot..." She started shuffling over to Ghost. "... but I won't hesitate to blow it off..." She raised the gun to his head. "...you, who are nothing but a monster..." She tensed her arm. "You, who killed my brother, that day on _Fuji's Ring_! You deserve hell, you demon!" And with that, she fired.

... or would have fired, had she not already been dead. For no matter how strong he loved that little girl, however vehemently he believed that this woman was that girl, no matter how much he would protect her... he would not die for her sake. His instincts overwrote his thoughts, and in one fluid motion, he raised his pistol up to her face, and fired, his hand continuing up with the kickback from the bullet.

Her now lifeless body sailed backwards through the air. It was a graceful fall, her hands floating upwards, releasing the gun, her head craning back, her hair a veil around her face, her whole body arched, and a mist of crimson to encompass the entire scene. The beauty only held for a split-second, and the reality of a dead body slamming against the ground overpowered the scence, and overpowered Ghost. With the realization that he may have just killed the one person he had ever fought to protect with his life, and had given his life, and dedicated his rebirth to, a cloud descended upon him. It was the final line that held his mind intact. It was what he had from Third Impact. And he had just thrown it away.

Without hesitation, his mind crumbled to dust, his body fell into a slump, and his soul regressed. For all inensive purposes... he died.

AW: Phew, how long did that one take? Well, the intensity is rising, and everything is coming full circle. I really don't want to say much, other than... THERE'S ONLY ONE MORE CHAPTER LEFT!1


	11. A Cave With No Light

Disclaimer: You know, I'm not really sure if I absoultely half to do this... I mean, I think I saw someone else do it, but maybe I am just imagining things?... Damn, I gotta lay off the reefer, man...

FW: Oh... my... god... I'm acutally writing the last chapter to one of my stories... Jesus, it's been like half a year... I am happily in college, at good old UNL(University of Nebraska-Lincoln) and I gotta say I kinda like it here... Well, for some reason, I have revived my dusty old tome and gotten my fingers flyin once more... this time with the end in sight... Wish me luck, as I proudly introduce to you...

A Silent Prescense is a Heavy One

In a cave with no light, there is nothing but an echo; a deep echo that resonates from down, down, down in the earth. The occasional flapping of bats wings. In some chambers, you can find the systematic drip-drop of water falling from a stalagtite. It's an eerie place, trapped in a cave with no light. That was where Ghost sat. Alone. In his mind. An empty cave with no end in sight.

It was comforting, at least to him, to be sitting alone in his cave with no light. It felt safe. Like a child under his bed, there was a feeling of protection, albiet a wavering, uneasy protection. Because the monster can always take a peek under the bed. He just usually never does.

In a cave with no light. A cave with no light. No light... no spark. No life. Did something used to be in the cave? It seems strange that such a place could be so empty. Shouldn't a cave be full of water? A rushing, gushing, flowing underground river that barrels through the earth without equal. That's what used to be here. In this cave. But now... It's just a cave. A cave with no light.

It IS his cave. He owns it. It's his. It's him. HE'S the one with no light. He's the cave with no light. With no water. With no life.

Oh, the life water that used to flow within him. Such strength! Such energy! He was unstoppable. He was tall, and just, and fearless. Oh, where has all the light gone? Where is the glowing water? The deep-seated strength? The emotion?

That's what's missing. Emotion. The emotion has left the cave. The light has gone. The light has been robbed. Stolen. Defiled. And now there is no way to get it back. Gone. Forever. Now... There is only the cave. The lightless cave. Lightless. Empty. Dark.

I suppose that someone could catch the thief. But it would be hard. It would be impossible to catch a thief in a cave with no light. Thieves are sneaky like that. It would be best just to give up. And sleep. Here in my cave with no light. I will sleep, without dream, forever.

... Well... Why not? Let's go look for the thief, says I. After all, it could get very boring, here in my cave with no light. Let's go see what's up.

It is treacherous ground, here in the cave with no light. My cave. I don't know all the steps. Many times I fall, trip over an ill-placed rock. Oh well. Although with each stumble I want to give up... I also want to see, just what's over the next ridge.

I can see light. In my cave, there is no light, but outside of it, light grazes the edges. Something's happening outside. Let's take a look, before I go back to my cave forever.

Hmm... It looks like a forest. What a beautiful forest. I can hear birds. I can hear leaves. I can hear wind. Oh, what a beautiful forest. I wish I could live here. But no. I cannot leave my cave. It is my cave. It is me. I cannot leave my cave. But I can look out. So let's look. Let's see what happens outside.

I see people. I see people in the forest. I wish I could join them. They look so happy, alive and well, playing in the forest. Oh, I wish I could play with them. Look, one has grabbed the other. Oh, they are wrestling! And look, one is playing hide-and-seek. Oh, what fun they are having...

And in that moment, there was once more light in the cave.

Ghost realized what he was seeing. The forest. The confrontation. The death.

There was Shinji. Lying on the ground, a massive amount of blood seeping onto the ground. He was shot. Shot high on his leg. He was screaming. Screaming on the ground. Clutching his wound. God, he looked to be in so much pain. _If only there was something I could do to help..._

Asuka. Asuka was being attacked. One hand wrapped around her neck. Asuka was struggling to get rid of the arm. Pulling at it. Struggling fiercely but in vain. Asuka was caught. There was a gun to her head, and Asuka realized she had to stop fighting. Oh God, what a sight. Asuka could get hurt. _If only there was something I could do..._

There was a man. A man lying on the ground. Dead. One bullet in his shoulder. Broke his arm with that shot. Tore a hole that shredded his heart. Bled to death rather quickly. God what I sight. Who did this? Can I help? _Is there something I can do...?_

Kari...

The forest faded away, the cave of his mind melted back, and Ghost was left standing in the dark. He could function well enough, he could hear his own voice, see his hands, feel his face. He was alive, and upright, but...where was he?

_You're simply confused..._

"Who said that?"

_You did..._

"What?"... silence... "What did you say?"

_I said, you're confused._

"And? Who are you?"

_I'm you._

"You're me? So... I'm telling myself that I'm confused?"

_That's right..._

In his mind, Ghost reminds himself that he is confused.

"I... I am confused." He sobs. "I'm confused because... because..."

Ghost is back in the forest. No longer illusioned and disoriented, he can see the scene clearly. Shinji in pain. Asuka held hostage. Himself pointing his weapon. At someone... but that someone was fuzzy, and hard to make out. He look closer, trying to distinguish the face through the fog.

"Who is that?"

_Do you really not know?_

"No, I don't. Who is that?"

_Don't you remember? It was ten years ago... ten long years ago..._

The fog cleared, and Ghost could make out the face of the young girl he rescued, all those years ago. His heart constricted, his lungs froze, he couldn't breathe...

"What... what did I do...?"

_You killed her..._

"I did?"

_Yes._

So it was, that Ghost's mental breakdown was complete, and his mind gave up trying to sort out the details. Such a major conflict. It was bound to mess things up. Emotion has become the death of the Ghost.

_Ha...Ha Ha... hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaaaaaaaAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!_

"What are you laughing at?"

_You idiot. Did you really think you killed her?_

"Of course I did?"

_Did you?_

"Yes, I -"

_DID YOU???_

And once more, the painfully crafted scene arose from the ashes to haunt him. Shinji. Asuka. The girl... only...

"The face is cloudy." _Well, duh._ "What do you mean" _I mean, of course it's cloudy._ "But, I know who it is." _Do you?_ "Yeah, it's... it's..." Ghost let himself trail off. After all, he knew who he was talking about.

_So who is it?_ "Shut up" _Who is it?_ "Go away" _Who?_

Ghost opened his eyes, but the cloud still obscured his view. "I can't see."

_Aha._ "And what does that mean?" _You don't know who it is._

Ghost thought that the last little phrase sounded different. Like it came from somewhere. From behind him. Ghost pivoted on the ground, and looked torwards where he though he heard the voice. _Ghost_ came walking up and sat down in front of him.

_Hi._

"Hi..."

_... So, you don't who it is._

"What do you mean? Of course I know who it is."

_Heh, no, you don't. You only think you do. But when you really look at her... you just can't tell... she's fuzzy._

"Yeah, that's you're fault. You showed me her."

_Ha, you're right you did. You sure showed you._

"Huh?"

_Ghost_ rubbed his temples with his fingertips. _Oh, boy. Don't you realized who you are? Don't you recognize yourself?_

Ghost took a good look at _Ghost_. "Okay, fine, you're me."

_And...?_

"And that means that... that I clouded the face."

_Because..._

Ghost once again peeked at her face, and this time, tears welled up into his eyes.

"Becasue I'm afraid of who it might be."

_Well... why don't you check?_

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Ghost fired his pistol, the recoil lifting his arm up high. The bullet whizzed right past Asuka's ear, and popped Kari's left eye. The force of the impact sent Kari's body back straight into the dirt. Asuka immediately collapsed on wobbly knees, and crawled a few feet over to where Shinji was hissing in pain. The bullet wound didn't hit bone, only muscle and fat, and Shinji had done his best to stop the blood flow with his belt, but it was still running quickly, and it was only a matter of time before...

Two hands took the belt, unhooked it, and then yanked it tighter that Shinji thought possible. He winced, yelped, and squirmed at the immense pain, but the blood loss had been greatly lessened.

Asuka looked relieved that the blood had been dammed up, but she quickly lost intrest in Shinji, as she watch Ghost step over to Kari's body.

Ghost knealt down, and ever so slightly turned her head to face his. With practically half of her face gone, one would be hard-pressed to identify the body, but Ghost didn't need her whole face. He just needed her eye. Ghost looked hard. Harder than he had ever looked before. And he remembered.

Ten years ago, Ghost and his friend had taken shelter for the night in a small nook carved out of a cliff face. It was already night, but Ghost managed to gather enought wood to start a small fire. Ghost laid himself against the cliff, and settled into a relaxed but alert position. He leaned over, and snuck a peak at the little girl who he had fallen in love with. He patted her head, ever so gently, and she opened one eye, gazing directly at him and smiling, before wandering off to sleep. That piercing blue eye had stuck with him forever, carving a neat little niche in his heart.

Ten years later, Ghost once again found himself staring at a mesmiric blue eye. He looked as hard as he could, reaching deep within his soul for that memory. The memory of a spark. He compared the two... and he sighed. Kari was... different. Even in life, Ghost realized that she was not the one. Her eye lacked the same shine, the same life as his little love. Ghost put his fears aside him. He had not killed the little girl he had come to adore all those years ago. His was beside himself with relief. So she was still out there somewhere.

... No. Ghost craned his head up to the skies, and let out one last tear. No more tears for his lost love. Ten years ago, he died in a ball of gunpowder fury, and the girl was not any farther awaw from the blast than he was. It was by a force of unknown origin that he was allowed to comeback himself. The fate of the tiny lost one could not have been any different. Whether dead, or just lost, Ghost forced himself to let it all go. In a single tear, all of his concern and anguish melted away into water, and back into the earth. There would be no more of the girl weighing on his mind. He had another life to lead.

"Ghost! Get your ass over here and help Shinji up!" Ghost heard Asuka's trademark scream, and smiled to himself as his treaded over to the couple. Shinji was still writhing in agony from the wound. Ghost checked it again. "Don't worry, Asuka, it seems that the bleeding has stopped."

"Yeah, yeah, I can see that, but you need to help him up! He still needs to get to a hospital, and at the very least we can find a doctor over that ridge."

"Yes... Tenrai..." Ghost remembered that there was a village over the next ridge. "Here, Shinji, grab my shoulder." Shinji complied, and Ghost hoisted Shinji by his arms onto his back, and with a new confidence, Ghost started for Tenrai.

"Wait, Ghost!" Ghost turned around at Asuka, who was pointing at his case. "Don't you..."

Ghost shook his head. "No, Asuka. I'm... I'm not gonna need those anymore." And with that, Ghost kept on towards Tenrai. Asuka took one last glance at the discarded weapons, and shrugged as she dashed up to Ghost. And the two of them, with Shinji on Ghost's back, proceeded towards Tenrai. Maybe they would find a new life there. Or clues about old friends. Maybe, after a short rest, they would continue on to a bigger city. It doesn't matter. Two things were pulled out of the mess that was the Third Impact Crater. A cracked friendship that was fired-hardened into the love that had resided beneath the surface. And the other thing... a dying corpse that found it's soul, and with another chance at life, found that one thing that can keep him alive, and make it all worth it. And that thing is... I guess he still has to find it. But he does know that it's out there... somewhere...

AW: Blaughhhhh!!!! Uggghhhhh!!! That was painful, disgusting, and I hate having ever started this chapter, but, but... I NEEDED SOME CONCLUSION!!!! Anyways... thank you, for those who have stuck with throughout the, umm... three years, was it? God, I cannot believe I am actually concluding this way. Please, some one chew me out via reviews. I feel like destroying my computer. And if this actually turned out better than I thought... then WOW.


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